Local authorities announce general strike over budget cuts

Israel's local authorities have announced that they will launch a general strike on January 16 in protest against what they call "populist legislation" aiming to inflict lateral budget cuts on the State's ministries and local governments.

The Union of Local Authorities in Israel said in a statement that cuts, announced recently by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will harm the education and welfare budgets. "This populism shouldn't come on our residents' account," the statement said. (Ynet)