| Translated from English to Rebellion by Beatriz Morales Bastos |
In commemoration of International Workers Day Palestinian trade union movement held its first conference of the BDS campaign and announced the formation of the Palestinian Trade Union Coalition by the BDS (PTUC-BDS) *
Statement and request support for the campaign BDS by the international unions
occupied Palestine, May 4, 2011 - In commemoration of May 1 (day of the struggle of workers and international solidarity) was held on Ramallah on April 30, 2011 the first conference of trade unions Palestinians for the boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel (BDS), organized by almost all Palestinian trade union movement, including federations, trade unions and blocks of unions representing almost the entire spectrum of Palestinian political parties . The conference was an historic event: the formation of the Coalition Sindicatos Palestinos por el BDS (PTUC-BDS, en sus siglas en inglés ) como la mayor coalición del movimiento sindical palestino. La PTUC-BDS es la referencia palestina más representativa para los sindicatos internacionales y promoverá su apoyo y adhesión al Llamamiento al BDS lanzado por la sociedad civil palestina en 2005 guiándose por las directrices y principios adoptados por el Comité Nacional de Boicot, Desinversión y Sanciones (BNC, en sus siglas en inglés), del que la PTUC-BDS se ha convertido un componente clave.
El movimiento sindical global siempre ha desempeñado a key role in his courageous and exemplary commitment to human rights and the adoption of innovative targeted sanctions against oppressive regimes in a show of solidarity with oppressed people around the world. The union boycott apartheid South Africa stands as a shining example of this tradition of effective solidarity. Today the unions are taking the lead in defending the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, justice, freedom, equality and the right of return of our refugees as stipulated in Resolution 194 of the UN General Assembly. Many of them have taken into consideration the call of Palestinian civil society, and in particular movement association, to adopt the BDS as the most effective solidarity with the Palestinians in our struggle to end Israeli occupation and apartheid. Ending
multifaceted system of oppression (including occupation, colonialism and apartheid) of Israel against the Palestinian people has become a test for humanity. For decades Israel has enjoyed impunity as he continued his gradual ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, particularly in occupied East Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley and the desert Naqab (Negev), his occupation that lasted 44 years, with theft land and natural resources, with its colonization and construction illegal settlements and walls and colonial, with its siege of Gaza, with its ongoing denial of refugee rights, with their incessant wars of aggression and incarceration of political prisoners, and their killing of civilians and demolition of infrastructure free. The systematic destruction by Israel of the Palestinian economy, the expropriation of agricultural land more fertile, and the humiliation and racial discrimination against Palestinian workers have become part of the reality of apartheid that the world should never be tolerated today .
Given the complete failure and the unwillingness of the hegemonic powers to Israel accountable to international law, it is for people of conscience and international civil society, especially the trade union movement, to take concrete action to end the international collusion with decades of violations of international law and human rights by Israel, its institutions and international corporations.
The support of the entire Palestinian labor movement a total boycott of Israel [1] as the most effective form of solidarity with the Palestinian people was the key message of this historic meeting.
The Conference was honored to welcome Joao Felicio, Secretary of Foreign International CUT (Brazilian union representing more than 20 million workers), who expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, in addition to reiterating the commitment of the BDS CUT. The conference received many messages of solidarity from many trade union federations, including the International Federation of Arab Trade Unions, COSATU (South Africa), ICTU (Ireland), plus a large number of individual unions in Canada, Scotland, Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Australia, USA and other countries. All major Palestinian political parties also enthusiastically supported the conference and the formation of the PTUC-BDS.
The Conference strongly condemned the Histadrut ** and international unions asked to count all their dealings with him because of his complicity with both historical and current violations by Israel of international law and Palestinian rights. The Histadrut has always played a key role in the perpetuation of the occupation, colonization and racial system of Israel by:
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publicly support the violations by Israel of the Fourth Geneva Convention and other principles of international rights,
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Maintain active business interests in the company of illegal settlements in Israel [2],
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Allowing Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank to join the organization [3],
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Supporting the war of aggression by Israel against the besieged Gaza in 2008 / 9 [4], later justified the slaughter by Israel of aid workers and humanitarian activists aboard the flotilla of Freedom on May 31, 2010 [5];
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illegally during the decades of occupation, over 8,300 million shekel (about 2,430 million pounds) from the wages earned by Palestinian workers from the Occupied Palestinian Territories [6] and discounted for 'social benefits and other union' that Palestinians in the OPT workers have never received.
Recalling the union slogan "an injury to one is an injury to all" and given the historical role of the global trade union movement in the effective solidarity with the oppressed peoples of the world, PTUC-BDS:
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I cordially greet all unions in the world for their solidarity with the Palestinian people, especially those who have supported the BDS against Israel,
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Requests unions around the world showing active solidarity with the Palestinian people BDS implementing creative campaigns that take into account the context as the most effective way to end Israeli impunity. For example:
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boycotting Israeli and international companies (such as Elbit, Agrexco, Veolia, Alstom, Caterpillar, Northrop Grumman, etc.). And institutions that are complicit in the occupation and violations of international law by Israel,
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reviewing pension fund investments in order to make investments in Israel Bonds and all companies and institutions that are complicit of occupation, colonization and apartheid in Israel,
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pressure on governments to suspend the free trade agreements, end arms sales and military relations with Israel, with a view to the possibility of cutting relations diplomatic ties with Israel.
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Requests dockworkers around the world to boycott the loading and unloading of Israeli ships, as well as the historic step taken by the port workers to suspend worldwide maritime traffic in protest against South Africa apartheid regime, and
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Requests unions around the world to review and cut all relations with the Histadrut.
These nonviolent measures to make Israel shoulder its responsibilities should continue until it meets its obligations under international law to recognize the inalienable right of Palestinian people to self-determination and fully complies with international law:
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Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands occupied since 1967 (including East Jerusalem) and the wall and dismantle illegal settlements,
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Recognizing the fundamental rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality and and ending the system of racial discrimination against them, and
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respecting, protecting and supporting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in Resolution 194 of the UNGA.
* The Palestinian Trade Union Coalition by BDS (PTUC-BDS) is the largest and most representative of the Palestinian labor movement and includes the following organizations: General Union of Palestinian Workers, Federation of Independent Trade Unions (IFU), General Union of Palestinian Women, Palestinian Union of Professional Associations (comprisinga the professional syndicates of Engineers, Physicians, Pharmacists, Agricultural Engineers, Lawyers, Dentists and Veterinarians), General Union of Palestinian Teachers, General Union of Palestinian Peasants and Co-ops, General Union of Palestinian Writers, Union of Palestinian Farmers, Federation of Unions of Palestinian University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE), Union of Public Employees-Civil Sector in Palestine, and all unions blocks that make up the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU, its acronym in English): Central Office for the Workers Movement, Progressive Labor Union Front, Workers Unity Bloc, Progressive Workers Block, Workers Solidarity organization, Workers Struggle Block, resistance Workers block, Workers Liberation Front, Union of Palestinian Workers Struggle Committees, National Initiative (al-Mubadara) Block.
- Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS (PTUC-BDS) ptuc-bds@bdsmovement.net
[1] Despite rumors to the contrary, the PGFTU recently issued a statement calling explicitly the total boycott of Israel and all its institutions that are complicit in the occupation: http://www.bdsmovement.net/
** N. of t.: The Histadrut is the organization of unions in Israel. Was the key Zionist organization responsible for the formation of the State of Israel. See: "Histadrut, the" union "Racist Israel", http://www.nodo50.org/csca/
Source: http://www.bdsmovement.net/
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