---
category: Private Organization
location: Tel Aviv, Israel
start: 1920
summary: Histadrut (the General Organization of Workers in Israel) is a powerful labor
  union federation that historically controlled a large segment of Israeli industry,
  whose leadership by Pinhas Lavon placed it at the center of the political fallout
  from the Lavon Affair.
tags:
- Organization
- Labor Union
- Israel
---

Histadrut, also known as the General Organization of Workers in [Israel](/places/israel/), is a powerful federation of labor unions that historically controlled a large segment of Israeli industry. [Pinhas Lavon](/people/pinhas-lavon/) served as its head. The organization played a significant role in Israeli politics, particularly during the [Lavon Affair](/events/lavon-affair/), where its internal disputes and the leaking of allegations to the press broke cardinal rules of Israeli politics.[^1]

[^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 3, 9.