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The port is paralyzed, not a single ship!
Mar 25, 2024|
View:53The Times of Israel reported recently that the southern Israeli port of Eilat has been shut down, faced with serious financial problems, and half of its workers will lose their jobs, as a result of continued Houthi attacks, a large number of shipping companies have changed their ships' routes and no longer call at the port.
In December, Port of Eilat Chief Executive Officer Gideon told Reuters that the number of vessels in the port had dropped by 85 percent since the Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea. Now the ports are largely paralyzed.
"A month [before] we had 12 to 13 ships coming in and out, and now we have none," Mr. Gideon said in a recent interview. "The ports are basically paralyzed," he said. "The flow of ships has stopped completely."
According to the introduction, Eilat port is mainly engaged in vehicle import and potash export business. A total of 149.000 vehicles will be imported from the port of Eilat in 2023. compared to zero since 2024. the data showed.
"In November [last year] we had 50.000 cars in our port, now we have only 10.000. Car dealers come to pick up cars every day, but there are no new cars coming in anymore."
Gideon warned in December that port workers might have to be furloughed if the crisis continued. On Wednesday, however, the General Trade Union of Israel revealed that the port of Eilat management planned to lay off half of its 120 employees. The news triggered an outcry from workers. "At this critical time, companies should stand shoulder to shoulder with workers and their families, rather than resorting to the simple and crude method of mass layoffs," said Yadeen, president of the Israel Labor Federation.
In an interview with Middle East Watch, Gideon made it clear that if the Israeli government did not step in and assume all responsibility for payroll payments, companies would face the dilemma of having to make layoffs. "I expected the alliance countries to resolve maritime security issues within months, but unfortunately they have so far failed to deliver on this commitment." "He said.
Eilat is also within range of Houthi missiles and has come under direct attack.
On the evening of March 19. the IDF confirmed that a cruise missile fired from the Houthi group in Yemen had hit an open field near Eilat, Israel, the first time a Houthi missile had hit Israeli territory, The Times of Israel reported. The missiles caused no damage or casualties and were tracked by the Israeli air force. The Houthis claimed the move was in support of the Palestinian people and in response to the US and British aggression in Yemen. Israeli media say the incident was a serious mistake, the air defense system failed to detect the missile, which was carrying explosives that could have caused a major disaster.
On Thursday, Israeli air defense systems shot down a suspected aerial target near the coast of Eilat before it reached the shore.
