Histadrut

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The Histadrut Ovdim Leumit or General Federation of Workers in Israel (GFWI) is an Israeli labour federation.[1]

In September 1950, the Histadrut voted to leave the World Federation of Trade Unions with Mapai supporters outvoting supporters of Mapam and others.[2] In June 1953, the Histadrut joined the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions after Mapai and General Zionist trade unionists outvoted Mapam and the Communist Party.[3]

South Africa

In testimony to the Russell Tribunal on Palestine in 2011, COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi accused the Histadrut of collaborating with Apartheid South Africa:

Iskoor steel company, 51 percent of which was owned by Histadrut’s Koor Industries and 49 percent by the South African Steel Corporation, for example, manufactured steel for South Africa’s armed forces. Partly finished steel was shipped from Israel to South Africa, enabling the apartheid state to escape tariffs. Other Histadrut companies such as Tadiran and Soltam were equally complicit in supplying South Africa with weapons. Histadrut also helped build the electronic wall between South Africa/Namibia and neighbouring African states in an attempt to keep our liberation fighters out. This wall was, in many ways, a precursor of Israel’s apartheid wall.[4]

External Resources

Notes