Rotem Amfert Workers to Protest in Jerusalem Over Threat of Plant Closure
Rotem Amfert workers will protest in Jerusalem on October 19, 2026, over planning delays threatening the plant's closure and endangering 1,000 direct jobs in the Negev.
Workers at Rotem Amfert, a subsidiary of ICL Group, are staging a major protest on Monday, October 19, 2026, at 8:30 AM outside the Planning Administration in Jerusalem. The demonstration targets bureaucratic delays threatening the plant's closure, specifically stalling the construction and upgrade of Pool 4, a critical storage facility essential for ongoing manufacturing operations.
The Battle for Negev Employment
"We will not allow the state to seal the fate of thousands of workers and abandon the Negev. Our livelihood is not up for grabs!" workers warned ahead of the protest. According to employees, five years have passed since the state began reviewing the industrial plan. All professional bodies, including the Water Authority, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and the Adam Teva V'Din organization, dropped their objections following strict environmental and safety assurances.
"We will not allow the state to seal the fate of thousands of workers and abandon the Negev. Our livelihood is not up for grabs!"
Legal Battles and Past Precedents
The Beersheba District Court previously ruled that the district committee conducted a proper professional procedure, upholding the plan. However, a subsequent appeal to the National Planning and Building Council has reignited debates, leaving the plant—which directly employs about 1,000 workers and supports thousands more indirectly—at risk of closure.
This protest echoes previous labor struggles in Israeli industry, reminiscent of the 2015 strikes at ICL plants in the Negev and Teva's 2017 protests against plant closures. The company previously faced intense public scrutiny following the 2017 Ashalim Stream wastewater disaster, which led to a 100 million NIS settlement approved by the Beersheba District Court for environmental restoration and public compensation.
