Delegates were profoundly
moved by a film of an STUC delegation’s visit
to Palestine and Israel, which showed clearly
the human rights abuses experienced on a daily
basis by Palestinian men, women and children,
by the actions of an occupying Israeli government.
Parallels were drawn with
the apartheid regime in South Africa, and the
STUC shared the opinion of COSATU that the actions
of the Israelis, the occupation, oppression and
the construction of the "separation"
wall, does constitute apartheid.
Mike Kirby, Scottish Convenor,
who was part of the delegation, said, "We
ended our visit with strong sense of injustice
and human rights violations experienced every
day by ordinary Palestinians. And a sense that
something needs to be done urgently in terms of
the ongoing construction of the wall, the growth
of illegal settlements and the removal of Palestinians
from their homes."
The STUC threw its weight
behind a strategy of boycott, disinvestment and
sanctions against the state of Israel until it
complies with universal law and international
principles of human rights. It has agreed to review
its relationship with Histradrut, the Israeli
Trade Union organisation.
Delegates slammed the excessive
and indiscriminate force used to attack Palestinians
living in Gaza and condemned the Israeli government’s
ban on foreign workers entering and reporting
from Gaza. They called once again for the establishment
of a genuine Palestinian state, free from intervention
from any other state.
