An urgent call to action for international trade unions to help halt arms trading
Palestinian trade unions have issued an urgent call to their international counterparts to halt arms trading with Israel and “end all forms of complicity with Israel’s crimes”, as Gaza faces continued bombardment from air strikes and Israel prepares for a ground invasion.
The federation of Palestinian trade unions has called on international trade unions in relevant industries to refuse to build or transport weapons destined for Israel and to put pressure on governments to stop all military trade with the Israeli government.
In the open letter signed by the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and 18 professional associations they warned that, “Palestinian lives hang in the balance” and that the “urgent, genocidal situation can only be prevented by a mass increase of global solidarity with the people of Palestine and that can restrain the Israeli war machine”.
The trade unions alliance wrote: “We make this call as we see attempts to ban and silence all forms of solidarity with the Palestinian people. We ask you to speak out and take action in the face of injustice as trade unions have done historically.
“We make this call in the belief that the struggle for Palestinian justice and liberation is not only a regionally and globally determined struggle. It is a lever for the liberation of all disposed and exploited people of the world.”
The alliance said they took inspiration from previous efforts by trade unions for the mobilisation of action against violence, such as in Italy when port workers refused to load a shipment of weapons and explosives destined for Israel in 2021.
Trade unions in the UK have spoken out to denounce the atrocities in Israel and Gaza, with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) calling on the UK government to promote efforts to ‘uphold international law and secure peace’.
“The killing of Israeli civilians by Hamas and the collective punishment of the people of Gaza by the Israeli government will do nothing to end the occupation or bring about peace,” wrote the TUC.
Unite the union, which represented members in the defence industry, echoed the condemnation of the violence by Hamas as well as the following attacks on the people in Gaza by the Israeli government.
“Unite unreservedly condemns and expresses its revulsion at the recent appalling acts of violence by Hamas against innocent civilians in Israel. We further deplore the subsequent suffering and loss of life being endured by civilians in Gaza arising from the actions of the Israeli government,” wrote Unite.
Unions have also addressed the worrying rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia following the conflict.
Unite said: “Unite has many members of the Jewish and Muslim communities, including Rabbis and Imams, who will be deeply worried by those trying to use these appalling events to stoke up tensions in the UK. Unite will not tolerate any antisemitism or anti-Muslim racism in any of its guises.”
“We would highlight that any abuse targeting British Jews and Muslims, and Israelis and Palestinians within the UK, is unacceptable,” wrote the BMA union for doctors.
There have also been calls for a global general strike on Friday, 20 October in solidarity with Palestinians, with workers, students and businesses urged to take part.
(Image credit: Socialist Appeal – Creative Commons)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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