C18 Palestine
Composite of motion 69 and ammendments
Congress condemns the Israeli blockades of the Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza strip where there is a severe and ongoing deterioration in the living conditions of those living there.
The actions of the Israeli military, under the orders of their Government, in mounting a deadly assault on activists on the Mavi Marmara and other ships seeking to take humanitarian aid to Gaza, is particularly condemned.
Congress furthermore condemns the Histadrut statement of 31 May which sought to justify the Israeli action and the failure of the Histadrut to condemn settlement construction. Congress endorses the 3 June 2010 statement of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions, criticising the Histadrut and calling for an immediate end to the military blockade on Gaza and for a full independent inquiry into the attack on the Mavi Marmara.
Congress believes that the effective annexation of massive swathes of land by Israel in defiance of international law, using walls and checkpoints and destroying Palestinian homes in the process, is a deliberate strategy to undermine the viability of the West Bank and thereby the potential for an independent Palestinian state.
Congress calls on the UK Government and the EU to take much stronger political steps to ensure Israel abides by UN resolutions.
Congress instructs the General Council to work closely with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign to actively encourage affiliates, employers and pension funds to disinvest from, and boycott the goods of, companies who profit from illegal settlements, the Occupation and the construction of the Wall.
Congress instructs the General Council to bring to Congress a report on the impact of the boycott and investment withdrawal strategy, together with the outcome of the PGFTU/Histadrut discussions recently facilitated by the ITUC and TUC. Congress agrees to join unions around the world for maximum coordination internationally for active solidarity to end the siege of Gaza and for a free Palestine.
Mover: Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association
Seconder: GMB
Supporters:
UNISON
Public and Commercial Services Union
Fire Brigades’ Union
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Being an Israeli-born Brit living in London, reading this motion upsets me as it is clear that only “one side” of the events has been seen and/or read about….I suggest that to be “fair and just” that there is also a campaign to help all the families in MAIN LAND Israel that also live under the poverty line (about 3 Sevenths of the population on the last set of figures).
Not only that, but please do not believe everything that is printed in the UK press…..every day rockets are sent into Sderot and Ashkelon by Hamas….where is your condemnation of them!!!!!!!!!
The TUC has condemned Hamas on numerous occasions, and the policy adopted last year (referenced in the resolution carried this year) did so as well. Motions on the Congress agenda are submitted by unions (with a deadline in mid-July, or mid-August for amendments) and there is a word limit – so the fact that something is omitted from a motion does not necessarily mean anything. The TUC is committed to a peaceful, two-state solution which provides justice for Palestinians and security for Israel. But our over-riding concern at present, reflected in the Congress resolution, is to put pressure on the Israeli government to remove the obstacles to peace presented by illegal settlements on the West Bank.