(haipo) 400 workers from the shipping company ZIM, whose head office is in Haifa, are currently demonstrating (Tuesday, 10/20/26) in front of the BSR Towers in Tel Aviv, in protest of the move to liquidate the company and sell it to Hefgag Lloyd (a German company, partially owned by Qatar and Saudi Arabia) and the FIMI fund. The workers and the Histadrut are warning of harm to national security, job security, and ZIM's status as an Israeli shipping company of strategic importance to the country.
The struggle for the future of society and employees
The demonstration, held in cooperation with the Zim Workers' Committee and the Histadrut, is being held against the backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the completion of the company's liquidation and sale to foreign hands. The workers are seeking assurances that their employment future and rights will be preserved, and are expressing opposition to a move that they claim could affect not only their livelihoods, but also Israel's national interests.
The Histadrut emphasizes that any future plan concerning the company must be formulated in consultation with employee representatives and provide a clear response to their concerns. The organization warns that no decisions will be made without consultation with employees and their representatives.
"Zim must remain Israeli"
As part of the protest, the workers are expected to carry signs against FIMI Fund executives Yishai Davidi and Gilon Bak. Along with concerns about harm to employment conditions, the demonstrators seek to raise the issue of control of the shipping company, which they see as a strategic asset for the State of Israel.
Attorney Eyal Yadin, Chairman of the Transportation Workers' Union in the Histadrut, said ahead of the demonstration that the organization would not allow harm to employees as a result of the deal: "We will not allow a situation in which dedicated employees, who built the company over years and maintained it even during the most complex periods, will pay the price of the deal."
Yadin added that decisions regarding the future of hundreds of workers should not be made without involving their representatives and without providing clear answers. He said that the Histadrut will stand by the workers with all the tools at its disposal, and will act against moves that would harm their livelihoods, their job security, or Israel's national interests.
"During war, when the skies were closed, Zim brought medicine and ammunition to the country"
Oren Caspi, Chairman of the Zim Workers' Committee, emphasized the importance of the company to the functioning of Israel, especially in times of emergency. "The State of Israel is an island state, 97% of goods arrive there by sea. During wartime, when the skies were closed, ZIM brought doctors, medicines and ammunition to the country," he said.
Caspi added that the company brings hundreds of millions of dollars into the state coffers through taxes, and expressed concern about the implications of the deal and the possibility that elements with Qatari ties will have a foothold in the company.
"This is a company that brings hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes into the state coffers, and now they want to sell it and give Qatari officials a foothold in our lifeblood. In the meantime, hundreds of workers are living in uncertainty," he said.
According to him, government ministries have already presented weighty arguments against the deal, and the demonstration was intended to make clear the workers' opposition to the move.
"We are here to make it clear: it needs to be taken off the agenda once and for all. We don't play with the security of the country!", concluded Caspi.
Tuesday's demonstration is expected to focus on the two main issues that concern ZIM employees: their employment future within the framework of the planned ownership change, and the strategic importance they attribute to the continued operation of an Israeli shipping company.
ZIM is a strategic asset to the State of Israel.
We must maintain maritime, economic, security, agricultural, etc. independence.
Strategic assets are not recognized and should not be discussed at all.
What is happening to us!
Those who profit from such deals do not see the future and good of the country.
The Israelis didn't understand that their wet dream of making an exit was actually equivalent to selling their mother.
Everything related to Qatar should be boycotted in Israel, certainly not selling them businesses and critical infrastructure. We've gone crazy!!
The world's number one terrorist financing state, including Hamastan
Enough with the privatizations. Leave strategic assets in our hands. The state and the citizens are not for sale.
What liars!
Zim employees are not the sailors on the ships….
15 years ago, when they wiped out the merchant fleet/seafarers... ZIM employees didn't speak up!
Coastal workers are not a merchant fleet!