Yemen attacks spark economic crisis in Israel ports

QUDS, March 20 (YPA) – about 120 employees in the Israeli-occupied port of Umm al-Rashrash city, known as Eilat, would be laid off their jobs.

Israeli officials said on Wednesday that this step came after the port had been exposed to a major financial crisis as a result of the disruption of shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

In response, the ports’ workers held a protest to condemn the move that will deprive tens of their jobs. The port of Eilat is located on the northern end of the Red Sea, and is one of the first ports to be affected after shipping companies changed the course of ships to avoid attacks by the Yemeni army.

For his part, Eilat Port CEO Gideon Golber said that this step was the last option after losses and a slowdown in activity for months.

“I was hoping that the coalition countries would solve the problem within a few months,” Golber added, referring to a US-led multinational security initiative to protect the vital shipping lane in the Red Sea from attacks by the Yemeni army.

The port mainly deals with imports of cars and exports of potash coming from the Dead Sea, and is smaller in size compared to the ports of Haifa and Ashdod on the Mediterranean, which handle almost the entire country’s trade.

AA