Jerusalem, 21 August, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Likud announced Thursday night that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the removal of the Airports Authority employees’ committee chairman, Pinchas Idan, from the party. The decision followed the illegal strike at Ben Gurion International Airport, which Likud said caused disruptions for Israeli citizens and resulted in economic damage to the country.
Idan, 70, is a member of the Likud Central Committee and has headed the Airports Authority employees’ committee since 1986, with only brief interruptions. The workers’ committee, representing some 6,000 employees, is considered one of the most powerful labor unions in Israel, due in no small part to Idan’s connection to Israel’s ruling party.