Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to advance legislation against the Histadrut labor union if it would express opposition to the cuts in next year's budget announced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
According to a report by Kan News journalist Michael Shemesh on Sunday Netanyahu mentioned the possibility that the Histadrut would oppose an expansive cut and said: "If there's going to be a pogrom, let it be a pogrom."
Netanyahu made the remarks during a closed meeting discussing the 2025 budget with senior members of his office and the Ministry of Finance.
The Histadrut, led by Arnon Bar-David, launched a general strike last week in an attempt to pressure a hostage deal. The chairman stated: "I came to the conclusion after speaking with many officers and politicians - the deal is not moving forward due to political considerations. Only our involvement could shock those who need to be shocked.