The Power of the Powerless:A Study on the Israeli Disability Strike of 1999

The purpose of this article is to analyze the 1999 strike of people with disabilities in Israel in the context of the emergence of the disability rights movements in Israel and in the United States. In order to reflect on the scope and nature of the strike, descriptive data are presented summarizing the Israeli press coverage, including participants, demands, and political response. Our major conclusion is that the disability strike in Israel is a powerful demonstration of the disability movement in terms of participation, public recognition, and the demonstrated need to improve benefits. However, the movement is still powerless in mobilizing itself from the status of a disability movement to a disability rights movement.