High-profile case8/21/2026

Netanyahu Demanded Pinhas Idan’s Removal From Likud Following Disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu petitioned the Likud Supreme Court, demanding the termination of the membership of Pinhas Idan, chairman of the Israel Airports Authority workers’ committee. The petition followed delays, lines and flight cancellations at Ben Gurion Airport, but Idan denies that the workers’ committee held a strike.

Key facts

•Tribunal: Likud Supreme Court
•Petitioner: Benjamin Netanyahu
•Respondent: Pinhas Idan
•Counsel for the petitioner: Attorney Ilan Bombach
•Events at the airport: August 20, 2026
•The case number and date of the decision are not specified in the source

What Happened

A sudden halt in the work of baggage handlers at Ben Gurion Airport caused severe disruptions that affected hundreds of thousands of Israelis. Netanyahu filed a party petition through attorney Ilan Bombach, claiming that Idan ordered a coordinated work stoppage whose purpose was primarily political. The prime minister is asking the party court to terminate Idan’s membership and remove him from the movement.

The Basis for the Demand

The petition stated that the party court had previously ruled that even a brief political strike against a Likud-led government could significantly assist rival parties and constitute grounds for removal. According to the petitioner, Idan previously avoided such a measure only because of his remorse and commitment regarding the future, whereas the current incident is a deliberate repetition of the act after a warning. The source does not provide a decision on the petition.

Pinhas Idan’s Account

Idan sent Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Miri Regev a letter rejecting the claim that there had been a strike, an “Italian strike,” or planned industrial action. According to him, the workers reported for their shifts, but due to a prolonged staff shortage and workloads of up to 13 consecutive hours, they were physically unable to continue after completing a full nine-hour shift. He claims that Israel Airports Authority management itself closed the check-in counters, thereby artificially creating the crisis.

Possible Labor Relations Implications

The workers’ committee did not declare a labor dispute and therefore, as the source notes, could not lawfully order an immediate strike. The distinction between a strike and an operational disruption may be significant if the Israel Airports Authority files a claim for damages over an unlawful work stoppage, as well as for deciding whether the workers should be paid for the shutdown period. The Histadrut announced that it was not involved in the incident.

What this means for you

The petition primarily concerns Idan’s membership in Likud and does not, in itself, establish responsibility on the part of the workers’ committee or the workers for the disruptions. For passengers and workers, the central question remains whether this was an unlawful strike or an operational collapse caused by a staff shortage: the classification could affect possible claims and payment for the shutdown period. The source does not report a final decision by the party court.

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