TUC calls for end to all UK military cooperation with Israel in wide-ranging BDS policy
The TUC has called for the government to "impose wide-ranging sanctions on Israel until it complies with international law"
Delegates at this year’s TUC Congress in Brighton have endorsed a policy of ending all military cooperation and arms trading with Israel. They backed a motion proposed by Artists Union England (AUE) and seconded by UNISON.
The motion began by noting the “catastrophic destruction of Gaza, including infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and universities, following Israel’s genocidal assault since 2023, killing over 70,000 Palestinians, displacing millions, and increase in illegal settlements, military occupation and apartheid”.
It went on to argue that the TUC had an obligation to “answer the call of Palestinian workers for solidarity” and back the “global Palestinian-led movement for boycott, divestment and sanctions” (BDS), which it described as “an effective strategy to pressure Israel to end its ongoing genocide, system of apartheid, occupation and denial of the right of return for refugees”.
As a result of the motion, the TUC will campaign for the UK government to end all military cooperation and arms sales with Israel, and to “impose wide-ranging sanctions on Israel until it complies with international law”. It will also see the TUC “support the Palestinian led BDS movement; trade union-led campaigns in support of Palestine; the workplace days of action; divestment from companies complicit in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians, in cooperation with union members in those companies”.
Alongside AUE and UNISON, delegates from Unite, NASUWT, the National Education Union, PCS and the CWU spoke in favour of the motion.
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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