I was pleased to be able to be among the tens of thousands who demonstrated in London yesterday against the attacks on the people of Gaza.
I was particularly pleased to be asked to help carry one of the few trade union banners on the demonstration, the banner of the Kensington and Chelsea local government branch of UNISON, which we then took home to Kensington for the protest outside the Israeli embassy.
The disregard shown by the Israeli military for the humanity of the Palestinian people and the lack of concern shown by the leaders of the Western powers challenge all trade unionists to respond.
UNISON has called upon our members to support protests against the attacks on Gaza. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign are organising regular protests, and the website of the Stop the War Coalition confirms what was announced yesterday – that there will be a march on the Israeli Embassy next Saturday, 10 January.
In the next week every UNISON branch should dust off its banner and organise delegations to support next Saturday’s demonstration. I hope and expect to see the national banner there too.
Elementary internationalism – in line with UNISON Conference policy – calls for an immediate end to Israel's military assault on Gaza and an immediate end to the blockade and siege on Gaza. Our task is to put pressure on our Government, whose “even handed” response to this grossly uneven battle amounts to tacit support for criminal aggression against the Palestinian people.
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2 comments:
The thing with this is which is all so depressing is that it all comes down to religious fanatics,not matter what side, who are determined on dragging the rest of us down the into the hell in a basket world they want to create.
Whilst these irrationalists, be they Jewish, Muslim, Christian or people who believe in fairies at the bottom of the garden, play out their mumbo jumbo, it is innocent kids and others who want no part in it that suffer.
I get queasy at the sight of some on the left getting so cosy with the Muslim religious fanatics (who treat women so appallingly and whose attitudes to gay people etc are so medieval), in the same way as the right cosy up to the Christian ones.
Whatever happened to the rational left that poured scorn upon these superstitious menaces?
Well said, Jon. And Chris, if you look, you'll find plenty of left blogs who "pour scorn" on religion.
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