Article
British trade unions demand end of all arms sales to Israel
"C17 Palestine"
Received from: National Education Union, Unison
Comprising motion number 77 and amendments
Congress notes that:
Israel’s military assault on Gaza has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, injured more than 70,000 and displaced over 75 per cent of Gaza’s population destroying housing, hospitals, schools and universities.
- Israel’s military assault on Gaza has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, injured more than 70,000 and displaced over 75 per cent of Gaza’s population destroying housing, hospitals, schools and universities.
- the International Court of Justice found South Africa’s case, that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, to be plausible and the International Criminal Court prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants against senior members of the Israeli government alongside Hamas leaders, for crimes against humanity.
- the UK government, as a party to the Genocide Convention, has obligations to prevent and punish those guilty of acts of genocide.
- Israel’s offensive in Gaza follows decades of violations of Palestinian human rights, , ethnic cleansing, and the imposition of a system of oppression against all Palestinians, including those living with military occupation and Palestinians who are citizens of Israel, recognised internationally under the legal definition of apartheid.
- Palestinian trade unions have called on their counterparts to end complicity with Israel’s crimes.
- the fall of the Economic Activities of Public Bodies Bill is welcome and has renewed the focus to advance a strategy of boycotts, divestment and sanctions
Congress reaffirms support for Palestinian rights and calls on the government to:
[...]
- immediately recognise the State of Palestine, contributing to a 2-state solution
- end all licences for arms traded with Israel, meeting international law
- demand a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages and Palestinian political prisoners
- ensure safe access to essentials including water, electricity, and food, and restore funding to UNRWA
- following the ICJ and ICC statements, impose sanctions upon individuals and entities who have made statements inciting genocide against Palestinians
- revoke the 2030 Road Map for UK-Israel bilateral relations
- ensure decent work and quality public services are embedded in the reconstruction of Gaza