Bus Drivers’ Intentional Walk-Off Leaves Hundreds of Jewish Ralliers Stranded during Pro-Israel Rally in DC
In an unexpected turn of events, hundreds of Jewish ralliers headed to Tuesday’s pro-Israel rally in Washington, DC, found themselves stranded for approximately 11 hours on the Dulles Airport tarmac due to a reported “deliberate and malicious walk-off” by bus drivers. The orchestrated effort, allegedly aimed at preventing their attendance, resulted in chaotic scenes and led to the group missing the entire March for Israel event.
The Jewish Federation of Detroit had chartered three private planes from Detroit for nearly 1,000 ralliers and arranged buses to transport them to the National Mall in DC. However, upon landing, about a third of the passengers were left stranded as several buses failed to appear on the tarmac. A spokesperson for the Federation revealed that the drivers had organized a “mass sick-out” day, leaving just a handful available to fulfill their obligations.
The unidentified bus company reportedly informed the Federation that a “significant number” of drivers called out sick upon learning that they would be transporting Jewish Americans to the pro-Israel rally. The Federation denounced the act as a “deliberate and malicious walk-off,” with organizers labeling it antisemitic, as it directly hindered the group’s participation in the rally.
Passengers stranded on the tarmac faced further challenges as they spent three hours awaiting buses, which eventually turned out not to be for their group. The charter flights couldn’t depart without pre-organized transportation, forcing those unable to board the buses back onto the planes, causing them to miss the entire event.
Throughout the day-long ordeal, organizers from the Jewish Federation of Detroit provided updates to stranded passengers about the purported counter-protest through the plane’s speaker system. Participants expressed frustration and disappointment, with one rallier calling the walkout a “deliberate antisemitic act.”
Simultaneously, on the National Mall, the March for Israel unfolded as a massive gathering, with an estimated 290,000 attendees, marking it as the largest pro-Israel event in history. Despite the challenges faced by the stranded group, the resilience and spirit of solidarity among ralliers remained evident.
Photo credit: Flickr
