The head of Israel's Labor Federation in conjunction with the chairman of the Business Sector have written Prime Minister Netanyahu urging him not to allow a shut down of El Al. "The present reality has proven again and again that aviation independence is vital to the ability of a nation to take care of its citizens," they wrote, referring to the many El Al flights that have rescued Israelis stranded in countries around the globe.
The mayor of Lod, a town adjacent to Ben Gurion Airport, wrote a letter expressing a similar concern.