The leader of Israel’s powerful trade union federation, the Histadrut, called on Israel’s prime minister to: Benjamin Netanyahu to announce elections and take responsibility for failing to prevent an attack by the Islamist group Hamas on October 7, while warning that it could call a general strike.

“It pushed us to the limit, to a place we shouldn’t have been. “We are at a dead end and there is only one way out: elections,” Arnon Bar-David, leader of the Histadrut, said at the event.

The union leader suggested that New elections will be held in December. when he estimates the war against Hamas will end.

“It would be a mistake to hold elections now while the war is ongoing,” but “The country cannot continue like this. The State of Israel needs a reboot. “Everyone wants something new, new people to come into politics,” he explained, warning that he could join the growing protests against the government that are breaking out in the country.

“We might have to go outside.. I hope this is not necessary,” he emphasized.

However, Netanyahu categorically refused to resign your position at the press conference.

“The last thing we need right now is elections.” Well, it would divide the Israelis and give Hamas an advantage, he said, praising its work since the war began: “We are dismantling Hamas’ underground infrastructure, we have returned more than half the hostages and will return the rest.”

“Now is not the time for politics” he stressed, asking Israelis to “wait patiently.”

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For its part, Netanyahu’s Likud party issued a statement calling it “shameful that in the midst of this war, while the nation is crying out for unity, Histadrut President Arnon Ben-David, decided to engage in petty politics which divide the nation and weaken the war effort.”

Before the outbreak of the October 7 war, Israel was experiencing deep political and social polarization, and a massive protest movement called for the resignation of Netanyahu, who faces three corruption trials and was at the time pushing for controversial judicial reform.

Bar-David then joined the anti-government movement. call for a general strikewhich paralyzed a significant part of the Israeli economy and managed to temporarily freeze the progress of reform and begin a dialogue with the opposition.

In his statements this Saturday, Bar-David also held Netanyahu responsible for postpone the signing of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas authorize the release of more than a hundred hostages still in the Gaza Strip held by the Islamist group.

The protests have been growing increasingly violent for months now. force Netanyahu to resign and immediately agree to the release of the hostages.

This same Saturday Thousands of Israelis took part in several demonstrations in Tel Aviv, in front of the presidential residence in Jerusalem and in 50 other places around the country.

“Don’t leave them to die!” – the crowd shouted, turning to Netanyahu.

Last Thursday there were also protests in front of the houses of ministers and legislators demanding end of the current governmentthe most right-wing in the history of Israel and which gave enormous power to the ultra-Orthodox and ultranationalists.

(EFE)