Today's news of a strike at Israel's foreign ministry forcing the cancellation of a visit from Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev's is absolutely farcical. Apparently, workers at the ministry had threatened to “ruin” the visit if it went ahead. They are demanding higher pay.
This is an embarrassment for Israel. But at least it’s quite funny. All-too-often Israel is in the news because of some awful security-related issue. I suppose I am happier to see Israel portrayed as a diplomatic laughing stock as opposed to a bully.
Israel attracts far too much negative media coverage, much of it quite unfairly. But the nation’s politics is pretty ugly, and this labour-relations debacle with key civil servants is something else of which Israel cannot be proud. As it turns out, this is unlikely to have any lasting consequences.
While I absolutely believe that everyone should have the right to take industrial action, it does seem to me that these civil servants should be considering other ways to pressurise the government into paying them more.
On a happier note, I today booked my flights to Israel for next week. I will come for just three days, but can’t wait to see you, my dear Yael. It’s been too long and I am going to do my best to visit more often.
Grandpa Jonathan
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, Czech Republic
