Flights moved up at Ben-Gurion Airport

Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz instructed the Israel Airport Authority to allow landings and departures at Ben-Gurion Airport Tuesday night for later-scheduled flights, as part of preparations for a general strike, which is expected to begin Wednesday morning.

The Transportation Ministry is attempting to reduce the strike's impact on passengers.

"Despite the strike, we'll do everything in order to allow all passengers to arrive at their destinations. We will authorize take off and landings tonight (Tuesday) in order to reduce the stress for the passengers," said Mofaz.

Concurrently, the spokesman for the Egged bus company announced that buses would run as scheduled, regardless of the general strike.

The Histradrut labor federation convened Tuesday morning to determine which public sectors would strike and when. The federation's worker's council indicated that, in the initial phase, employees of government offices, regional authorities and sea ports would go on strike.

Strikes of airport workers are not scheduled for the first phase, although it is possible that matters at Ben-Gurion Airport will run less smoothly than usual. However, officials involved in the talks said that "there is no chance the airport will not go on strike."

At this time, workers for the Bezeq communications company, the electric company, refineries, El Al, and the security industry will not go on strike. Disruptions are expected in HMOs, however.  

Tani Goldstein contributed to the report