Bar David calls for elections in February 2025; Six months into the war, the government needs to reach decisions.

As Israel mentions six months since the Hamas terror attacks that led to the massacre of hundreds within 24 hours, Histadrut’s Chairman, Arnon Bar-David’s latest public expressions demand bold decisions and real steps towards healing to be taken.   

on several occasions last week, Bar-David expressed his stance on the way forward; He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to declare elections in February 2025: “Elections must be declared. Not now, in another year, but let’s declare elections. February 2025, decrease the pressure now,” and further said that if he were in Netanyahu’s position he would have already resigned: “I would have resigned 30 times over if what happened on Oct. 7 happened on my watch,” he said.

His critique was not limited to the unclarity around elections. As critical decisions such as the ultra-orthodox conscription remain unmade by the government, Bar-David said that “the role of the leader is to make decisions…What will happen if, with the war in the background, we finally solve the conscription crisis? Will the government fall? Let it fall. The state before everything.”

In an interview with Channel 12 news, Bar-David said it is not yet the time for the Histadrut to call on another national strike – “What would I have the industry strike for today? If there is a struggle in which all the public goes out to the streets, you’ll see me and all my people joining the struggle.”

Elections are wanted in all parts of Israeli society. But Bar-David says that “people in the state of Israel are afraid to speak… People from all the bodies are coming to talk to me. Behind the scenes, Likud people are also talking to me. They have different opinions from what’s known. There are more than five Knesset members from Likud who are speaking behind the scenes about changes in the Likud. Unfortunately, they don’t have enough strength to stand up to Netanyahu. They’re afraid. It’s impossible to keep managing the state of Israel in the way that it’s managed now.”

“We need to reboot the state of Israel after Oct. 7,” Bar-David said, reiterating his call for new elections. “Anyone who doesn’t understand that is either blind or a mindless fanatic.”

See Davar to read more about Bar David’s latest comments.

In addition, earlier today, Bar-David launched a letter to Histadrut members calling on them to stand by the families of the hostages in calling for the Israeli government to work for their immediate release, and highlighting the position of the Histadrut on the need to rehabilitate the social contract in Israel:

Dear members of the Histadrut,

Half a year has passed, and so many numbers continue to be counted and tell the story of this war. Numbers of civilians who were brutally murdered, of IDF soldiers whose names have been released for publication, of people wounded in body and soul, and of our brothers and sisters who are still languishing in Hamas captivity.

Even today, half a year after the morning we will never forget, it is still difficult to grasp the magnitude of the loss when we speak only in numbers. How do you quantify the longing of a mother who does not know what happened to her daughter? How do you count the nights of a wounded hero who constantly replays in his head the friends he could not save?

The bleeding wound of October 7th will never heal. There is no absolute victory in this world that will bring back to life Shani Louk (RIP), or Roni Eshel (RIP) or Aner Shapira (RIP), or the 1,500 people who were killed in the prime of their lives. When the echoes of the war subside, a torn society will remain, its future will be dependent on restoring the trust of its citizens in the state and its leaders. Every day that the State of Israel does not bring our hostages back home, we deny our society the only chance for a healing process from the national trauma.

Last week I went to a demonstration in Jerusalem for the release of the hostages. There, among the families of the abducted and the survivors of captivity, I met many Israelis from the right and left who understand that time is running out. Since then, with great sorrow, we have all been informed of the rescue of the body of Elad Katzir (RIP), who was kidnapped from Nir Oz and murdered in captivity.

I call on all members of the Histadrut who are able to join today’s rally for the hostages, to come to Jerusalem and stand with their families. To ‘win together’ is to be together even in the most difficult moments. What unites us all – is the understanding that the State of Israel must do everything and do it immediately so that our sons and daughters will return home safely.

Even in these complex days, the eyes of the entire public are turned to the Histadrut. The reason for this is not only the strength of organized labor, but also the responsible leadership we have shown since the outbreak of the war. I understand the scale of the responsibility and I am constantly working with senior security and economic officials to find the golden path that will allow us to ensure the strength of the state and rebuild it anew.

In the hope of good news,

Arnon Bar-David

Chairman of the Histadrut