JERUSALEM (JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to cancel a planned visit to three Latin American countries due to Israel’s Foreign Ministry strike.

It was the first trip abroad that Netanyahu has had to cancel due to the strike. The visit, scheduled for next month, would have been the first to Latin America by a sitting prime minister, according to reports.

Netanyahu had planned to travel to Colombia, Mexico and Panama, all countries that are friendly to Israel.

The lengthy strike had been halted for several months during attempts at mediation, but was resumed two weeks ago. As part of the action, diplomats abroad have stopped providing consular services to Israelis such as issuing passports and visas, and have refused to handle foreign visits and visits of foreign officials to Israel.

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