The situation in the Middle East is escalating into a very dangerous international crisis. Trade unionists in the UK cannot stand back and ignore this crisis.
These are the details of the Central London meeting tomorrow(Monday 17 July) at 7pm called by the Stop the War Coalition;
Israel out of Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria... Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London WC1 (opp Euston Station)SPEAKERS: •George Galloway MP •Jeremy Corbyn MP •Dr Azzam Tamimi •Lindsey German (StWC) •Jane Shallice (StWC) •Betty Hunter (PSC)
Not all of us can get to meetings called at such short notice - but then the Israeli's didn't give much notice of their invasion of Lebanon! More details are at http://www.stopwar.org.uk/
UNISON backs the Stop the War Coalition, of which our Deputy General Secretary, Keith Sonnet is Vice Chair.
UNISON has clear policy on Palestine and the Middle East peace process as set out in several National Delegate Conference (NDC) motions over the past few years. UNISON supports both an independent Palestinian state and the right of a secure Israel to exist. However, UNISON believes that this can only happen if Israel withdraws from the Occupied Territories to its 1967 borders.
Details of UNISON policy are at http://www.unison.org.uk/international/middleeast.asp
7 comments:
perhaps a meeting condemning the islamic fascists who butcher ordinary working people might be in order too?
well, anonymous, you are free to organise meetings yourself - I would pay more attention to comments from people who will put their name to their views.
I tend to agree with UNISON policy on this question myself.
Anonymous - how about condemning the Palestinians who blow themselves up killing inncoent Israeli civilians.
But also Israels lack of proportionality, cutting of Gaza's electrictity supply, creating a humanitarian crisis.
thanks for a more even handed comment - but don't we need to go beyond condemnation in the direction of trying to understand the causes of conflict if we want to find solutions?
that's why I support the UNISON policy set out in the original post, because I think it tries to do that.
Its strange how you get a bigger response once this is posted. How would you react if your homes were bulldozed and water supply cut off? Palestine’s have a right to there land. While I am not a support of suicide bombs how else do you respond to tanks and helicopter gunships the Palestinians are massively out gunned.
See below for what you need to do so as we might understand the situation better.
Take ‘The Israel Challenge’ and Help Margaret Beckett See The Light
"The Israel Challenge"
- Turn off your power supply at the mains
- Turn off your water supply at the mains
- Stop using all forms of transportation
- Stop going to work, school or college
- Reduce your food intake to a minimum and eat sporadically
- Ask your neighbour to play loud music all through the night
Do this until we tell you to stop!
If you take the challenge, you will have some idea of the conditions faced by thousands of Gazans right now.
Help Margaret Beckett See The Light!!
If you can't stomach the 'Israel Challenge', then we ask you to send a tealight/candle to Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett now, asking her to forward it to the people of Gaza. She has refused to condemn the Israeli attack against Gaza – maybe thousands of tealights will make her see the light.
The Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett
Foreign Secretary
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH
Just to ask do UNISON have policy to support for a 2 state solution or are they just for solidarity with Palestinian trade unions.
UNISON policy is to support the right of Israel to exist within its 1967 borders, so yes, a two state solution.
Post a Comment