The Israeli embassy in the United States has temporarily shut its doors as unions mobilize government employees to protest the government’s judicial reform proposals. This development comes as Elad Strohmeyer, a representative of Israel’s diplomatic mission in Washington, issued notices via social media about the situation. He indicated that the shutdown was a direct result of the organized action and would stand until further notice, with consular services suspended during this period.
Strohmeyer explained that Histadrut, Israel’s largest labor federation, had directed civil servants to participate in the nationwide movement, which includes personnel stationed abroad at various diplomatic missions. The directive, he noted, extended to staff working at overseas postings, highlighting the breadth of the strike’s reach and its potential impact on diplomatic operations beyond Israel’s borders.
As a consequence, the Israeli Embassy in the United States announced that all routine operations would pause today, and consular assistance would not be available. The message stressed that crucial services, such as visa processing and passport renewals, would be temporarily suspended, with citizens advised to monitor official channels for updates on when services would resume.
Reports from Reuters corroborate that Israeli diplomatic missions around the world were asked to participate in the nationwide strike slated for March 27 as part of the broader opposition to proposed judicial reforms at the time. The coordinated action reflected a widespread public response to the reform agenda, signaling potential disruptions to government and diplomatic functions in several jurisdictions during the protest period.
Record numbers of demonstrators took to the streets on March 26 to voice concerns about changes to the judicial system. Estimates cited by observers indicated that well over half a million people gathered in various cities, underscoring the scale of public opposition and the symbolic weight of the mobilization in shaping the national debate on judicial governance and governance accountability.