Israeli embassies shut down due to strike

Israeli Foreign Ministry workers hang a black flag at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, Wednesday, March 19, 2014. Israeli embassies around the world remain on strike, and it’s threatening to disrupt the pope’s upcoming visit to the Holy Land. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines- A global strike among Israeli diplomats led to the shutdown of Israeli embassies worldwide, including the Philippines.

“At this time, we are sorry to inform the general public that the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines, along with Israeli embassies worldwide, will be closed until further notice,” a statement from the Israel embassy in Manila Tuesday.

It added that it is the first time in the history of the state of Israel. That such situation has occurred.

“The decision to close all embassies was made with a heavy heart by the Foreign Ministries employees’ labor union,” the statement added.

The statement further said that “the drastic step comes as the Ministry of Finance has not seen fit to reach a compromise with the workers legitimate demands for a fair wage and reasonable work conditions.”

As of posting time, all transactions with the Israeli embassy in Manila and around the world are temporarily halted.