Israel-EU open skies deal provokes strike

  Employees of El Al, Arkia and Israir began an open-ended strike yesterday in protest over the government’s plans to ratify an open skies deal with Europe. The workers claim that the open skies deal will lead to job losses due to the increased competition from foreign airlines Ofer Eini, head of Israel’s Histadrut labour union, warned that 17,000 jobs could be at risk. “The way in which (this deal) is being implemented will on the one hand bring a reduction in airfares but it will also cause Israeli companies to collapse,” he told Israel Radio. The strike began at