No visas as Israeli diplomats go on strike over low pay

“Yesterday (Sunday) , the workers of the Ministry of Foreign affairs of Israel have declared a full strike following the reluctance of the Ministry of Finance to solve the one-year-old dispute over working conditions of Israeli diplomats and their families abroad. As a result, the embassy was closed today and will remain closed until further notice,” an embassy spokesperson told The Indian Express.

According to the diplomats, the strike will mean that they will not carry out any diplomatic functions.

South Block sources say this is a “unique” situation and will wait for the diplomatic staff to resume its duties. While there are no bilateral visits scheduled in the next few weeks (due to upcoming Lok Sabha elections) the strike will affect the Embassy’s consular functions. Sources said Israeli envoy Alon Ushpiz’s scheduled dinner with a visiting Israeli delegation of academics this week has been cancelled.

They said consular services for visiting Israeli nationals has also been stopped. “If an Israeli national loses his or her passport… the embassy cannot issue any passports as long as the strike continues,” the spokesperson said. The only eventuality in which any services will be carried out is in case of a “life-or-death” situation, the spokesperson added.

The Israeli foreign ministry has put out a message — with a sad face emoticon — on its website which said: “Due to the Finance Ministry’s refusal to resolve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ labour dispute, Israeli diplomats have renewed their work sanctions.”