Histadrut union leader Ofir Eini has threatened to call a general strike over the new Finance Ministry plan that rejects a demand to provide protection for pension funds. The investments have lost approximately 20 percent in their value during the stock market crash  the past several months.

Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On (Kadima) announced a $5 billion stimulus plan Wednesday afternoon that promises 10,000 more jobs. Opposition leaders and several government coalition members have roundly mocked the proposal  for not focusing on fundamental problems in the economy. The Israel Manufacturers' Association also criticized the stimulus plan for ignoring the crisis in capital markets.