Israel votes to bail our former Agrexco staff

Ministers in Israel have voted in favour of an NIS33 million (£5.5m) fund for the 350 former employees of Israeli exporter Agrexco, according to Israel’s Arutz Sheva media network.

The money is said to be earmarked for severance pay, vacation and sick pay payments to workers who were with the company when it entered liquidation in September 2011.

The deal has been negotiated in talks between the treasury and the Histadrut, according to a report by national publication Globes.

The government is also reportedly to transfer an additional NIS6m if the National Insurance Institute does not recognise its commitment to transfer compensation to the employees in accordance with the liquidation arrangements.