The head of Israel's fuel council urged truckers to give up their plans to go on strike to protest higher fuel prices, Israeli radio reported Saturday.
Yoav Harmony, whose fuel council is part of the national infrastructure ministry, said that the government's fuel tax of around five percent is less than similar taxes in Europe and the United States.
Truckers in Europe have gone on strike to demand that their governments roll back fuel taxes in the wake of higher oil prices.
Harmony also said that half of the price increases that are about to go into effect here will be absorbed by consumers while the rest will come out of the oil companies' pockets.
The radio said that the Israeli transportation union was not buying Harmony's arguments.
The strike, planned for Sunday which is a work day in Israel, could block traffic on all the country's main roads, the radio said.
Fuel prices will increase in Israel at midnight Sunday. Diesel will rise 13 percent, domestic gas 11.25 percent and gasoline (petrol) 1.6 percent.—AFP.
©--AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE.
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
