Staff of the Israeli Foreign Ministry have threatened to repeat the incident with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit two years ago, unless their wages are raised, RIA Novosti cites Professor Yakov livni of the Foreign Ministry.
They may refuse to organize the visit of the US Secretary of State John Kerry this week.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to order the military attaches to organized his visit to Poland. Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin and Deputy Interior Minister Faina Kirschenbaum are on a visit to Moscow and was not affected by the diplomats’ strike.
Young specialists of the central office have a wage of about 5,000 shekels (about $1,400) a month, compared with an average of 9,000 shekels in the country. Diplomats quit the ministry within 9 years of work and cannot be replaces, Professor Yair Fromer of the Foreign Ministry says. Wives of diplomats cannot continue their career abroad and can only rely on their husbands’ wage.
