The language of Israel’s new finance minister Yair Lapid couldn’t be clearer: “Let there be war.”

Lapid was referring to the impending battle over privatisation of Israel’s state owned ports.

Unions are defending the port workers and especially their right to bargain collectively and to strike in the face of an unprecedented attack by the Netanyahu government.

Ha’aretz is claiming the government will deploy IDF soldiers as strike-breakers if necessary to keep the ports open.

According to a report in the business daily Globes,

The plan is codenamed “1981”, after the year in which US President Ronald Reagan fired the air traffic controllers at America’s airports and brought in military controllers in their stead. The government believes that the Ashdod and Haifa port workers are likely to strike in protest against the intention to construct a new port. The government has prepared several responses: bringing the army and foreign companies in to operate the ports; outlawing of strikes in vital services; warning manufacturers to stock up with materials; and opening up the Port of Eilat and Israel Shipyards for loading and unloading of goods.

For full details, check out this Reuters article.