Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stark warning to those disrupting operations at Ben Gurion Airport, declaring that anyone obstructing activities will be forced to leave the country. His combative statement came as the airport, Israel’s busiest aviation hub, grappled with unprecedented congestion and service disruptions that have now resumed after a temporary shutdown.

Opposition figures wasted no time in seizing on the chaos, launching blistering attacks on the government’s handling of the crisis. Labour party leader Yair Gabbay alleged the disruptions reflected “a culture of failed management,” while colleagues claimed the Transport Ministry was in “collapse” due to excessive political appointments clogging the bureaucracy. The criticism underscores broader frustrations with what opponents view as ministerial incompetence at a crucial national infrastructure hub.

The backlog at Ben Gurion Airport accumulated significantly throughout the day, with officials warning that disruptions would persist for several additional hours. The repeated failures to manage operations smoothly at the airport have become a flashpoint in Israeli politics, with the opposition using the visible dysfunction as evidence of the government’s administrative shortcomings. The incident highlights tensions between Netanyahu’s government and its critics over management of key state institutions.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.