`Intensify pressure!' -- (updated June 8) Call by Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee gains support

By the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC)

Occupied Palestine, June 1, 2010 – Palestinian civil society calls for intensifying boycott and sanctions as Israel massacres humanitarian relief workers and international solidarity activists.

The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) strongly condemns last night’s fatal attack by the Israeli navy on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip. The BNC conveys Palestinian civil society’s condolences to the families and friends of those killed by the Israeli assault and warmly salutes the principled solidarity and moral commitment of all those involved in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

In response, the BNC calls on international civil society to:

• Mobilise for an emergency global BDS day of action on Saturday, June 5, 2010 – the 43rd anniversary of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem
• Pressure governments to start implementing trade sanctions and arms embargos.

We call specifically on transport and dock workers and unions around the globe to:

• Refuse to load/offload Israeli ships and airplanes, following the historic example set by the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) in Durban in February 2009 and endorsed by the Maritime Union of Australia (Western Australia).

The Freedom Flotilla, which was attacked in international waters in violation of international law, was carrying relief supplies that Israel has persistently prevented from entering Gaza, including medical supplies, cement and food. Israel’s siege is considered a form of collective punishment, a war crime under Article 33 of the Geneva Convention. All of the relief workers and activists on board the Gaza Freedom Flotilla ships were unarmed. In legal terms, Israel’s military assault against the Freedom Flotilla is an act of aggression against the countries whose flags the ships were carrying; politically, it is an assault against human decency and all people of conscience around the world who support freedom and justice.

Israel’s impunity is the direct result of the international community’s failure to hold it accountable for its ongoing occupation, colonisation and apartheid against the Palestinian people. Israel’s most recent war crimes committed in Gaza and documented in the Goldstone report as well as crimes committed in 2006 against the Lebanese people did not trigger any UN or official sanctions, entrenching Israel’s feeling of being above the law. In fact, Israel’s grave violation of international law was recently rewarded when the OECD voted unanimously to accept its membership. The BNC urges international civil society to end this deep and fatal complicity.

The BNC also welcomes and affirms the call of the UN expert on human rights Professor Richard Falk who stated, “It is time to insist on the end of the blockade of Gaza. The worldwide campaign of boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel is now a moral and political imperative, and needs to be supported and strengthened everywhere.”[1]

The UN Security Council has, unsurprisingly, failed to hold Israel accountable for its aggression against the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.[2] The BNC calls upon the UN General Assembly, the European Union, the Arab League and their member states to undertake practical measures which will end Israel’s impunity for its massive and systematic violation of international law, including by:

• Immediately ending all collusion with Israel’s unlawful blockade of the Gaza Strip and pressuring Israel’s to guarantee unrestricted humanitarian access and freedom of movement of people and products into and out of the Gaza Strip;
• Bringing to justice all Israeli officials and military personnel who took the decision and/or implemented this latest massacre as well as earlier war crimes;
• Pressuring your government to immediately suspend arms trade with Israel, and to implement trade sanctions and arms embargos against Israel.
• In particular, we call on the EU to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the Mercosur to suspend the FTA, India to reverse decision to hold negotiations around an India-Israel FTA and to stop arms deals with Israel, and Turkey to impose an arms embargo on Israel.

The BNC also calls on people of conscience and citizen groups all over the world to intensify BDS campaigns against Israel as the most effective means of holding it accountable to international law and ending its fatal impunity.

For action ideas and updates, please see: http://bdsdayofaction.net/

For more information and coordination of action, please contact:

Ziyaad Lunat (Europe) ziyaad@bdsmovement.net

Michael Deas (Europe) bnc.europe@bdsmovement.net

+4412465822

http://www.badil.org/en/press-releases/135-2010/2257-press-en-19

[2] SC/9940 of 31 May 2010, UN Security Council, Presidential Statement S/PRST/2010/9

Swedish port workers to block Israeli ships and Israeli goods

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

By Bjorn Borg

The Svenska Hamnarbetarförbundet (Swedish Port Workers Union) has today given notice of the blockade of all Israeli ships and cargo to and from Israel which is managed by the union members. The blockade will be effective at. 00:00 Tuesday, June 15 and lasts until at. 24:00 Thursday, June 24.

The reason for the blockade is the unprecedented criminal attack on the peaceful ship convoy In Gaza. Several peace activists were killed by Israeli commandos and other participants were detained without any reason.

Swedish Port Workers Union, which supports the Ship to Gaza, like the action to protest against the state of Israel of international law perpetrated against a convoy of peace activists and material supplies due to the People also a legal blockade suffering population of Gaza.

Swedish Port Workers Union requires that the assault are brought to justice, that international law is respected by the State of Israel and that the blockade of Gaza immediately lifted.

Swedish Port Workers' Union would urge other unions and other organizations to take similar initiatives and calls for a general blockade of Israeli goods until the Palestinian people's rights have been satisfied in general and in particular the blockade of Gaza lifted.

For further information contact:

Bjorn Borg A. Federal Chairman 070-680 95 48

Peter Annerback member Executive Committee 073-546 38 02

Rolf Axelsson member Executive Committee 070-950 89 09

COSATU condemns Israeli state piracy, supports boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign

May 31, 2010 – The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is outraged at the murder by Israeli commandos' of at least 20 people – and injuries to a further 60 – as a result of their armed attack on a convoy of ships carrying aid to the people of Gaza last night.

COSATU sends its condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives and calls upon the people of the world to condemn this act of Israeli state-sponsored piracy.

The six-ship flotilla, with 750 Palestine solidarity activists from around the world on board and carrying 10,000 tonnes of aid for the people of Gaza, left Cyprus on Sunday and had been due to arrive in Gaza today.

Then, when it was about 64 km out to sea, in international waters, Israeli armed forces boarded the largest vessel and fought with those on board. The activists say Israeli troops came on board shooting. Israel is now reported to be towing the boats to the port of Ashdod and says it will deport the passengers from there.
The ships were bringing the people of Gaza 10,000 tonnes of badly needed concrete, toys, workbooks, chocolate, pasta and substantial medical supplies. It was acting in accordance with international law.

COSATU fully supports the call on the international community to pressure their governments to condemn this brutal deed and hold Israel accountable for the murder of foreign civilians at sea and illegal piracy of civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid.

The federation welcomes the decision by the government of Spain and Sweden to withdraw their ambassadors from Israel and calls upon the South African government to follow their lead.

The flotilla was an international response to the plight of the people of Gaza, following Israel's closure of the border. Amnesty International in their Annual Human Rights Report concluded that the siege has "deepened the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Mass unemployment, extreme poverty, food insecurity and food price rises caused by shortages left four out of five Gazans dependent on humanitarian aid. The scope of the blockade and statements made by Israeli officials about its purpose showed that it was being imposed as a form of collective punishment of Gazans, a flagrant violation of international law."

The United Nations has continuously stated that only a fraction of the required aid is entering Gaza due to what it calls "the medieval siege". John Ging, the director of UNRWA in Gaza, has specifically expressed the need for the flotilla to enter Gaza.

The European Union's new foreign affairs minister, Catherine Ashton, has just reiterated its call for, "an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza".

COSATU also calls for greater support for the international boycott, divestment and sanction campaign against Israel, which is proving again to be violent and ruthless in attacking and murdering those who stand in its way. We urge all South Africans to refuse to buy or handle any goods from Israel or have any dealings with Israeli businesses.

COSATU reaffirms its support of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to national sovereignty and the same human rights as any other people. We demand the immediate end to the Israeli siege and the illegal occupation of the sovereign territory which has been violently seized from the Palestinian nation.

Issued by Patrick Craven (national spokesperson), Congress of South African Trade Unions.

South African government's recall of Israeli ambassador welcomed, now cut all economic and trade ties!

Issued by the Coalition for a Free Palestine

June 3, 2010

The Coalition for a Free Palestine, as well as numerous Palestinians and Palestinian civil society organisations that we are in touch with, welcome the announcement by South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ebrahim of the recall of South Africa’s ambassador from Tel Aviv. The action was taken in protest against Israel’s murderous attack on unarmed civilians in an aid flotilla sailing in international waters.

The recall by the South African government – as well as similar actions by other countries such as Sweden, Spain and Turkey – are an indication to the Apartheid Israeli regime that the world is no longer willing to tolerate its brutal impunity and terrorism. The regime’s repeated violations of international law and United Nations resolutions make a mockery of the notion of international law. That it has not, for the past six decades, been forced to comply with the decisions of the international community in respect of its gross human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity is a serious blight on the members of the United Nations. Even when Israel attacked unarmed civilians in open waters, the United Nations Security Council could only issue a presidential statement which did not even condemn Israel for its piracy.

Deputy Minister Ebrahim’s comments today are the clearest indication that South Africa’s patience with the Israeli regime is running out.  As President Zuma indicated in a radio interview yesterday that if any other country had undertaken action like the attack on the aid flotilla except for Israel it would be regarded as a pariah. We call on local people of Jewish faith not to allow the South African Zionist Federation to speak on their behalf, by attempting to obscure the truth with outright lies and hopeful fables.  No excuses, no lies, no attempts at obscuring the truth will fool the people of the world.

We are appreciative of the actions of our government over the past four days in expressing condemnation of Israel, issuing the Israeli ambassador with a demarche, recalling our ambassador from Israel, and the genuine concern and comfort they have extended to both Khadija Davids and her family. 

Nevertheless, as appreciative as we are, we still remain committed in calling on our government to:

1. Expel the Israeli ambassador from South Africa;

2. Break all diplomatic ties with Israel;

3. Cut all economic and trade ties with Israel, in response to the call for boycotts, divestment and sanctions from over 200 Palestinian organisations;

4. Shut down Mossad and Shin Bet operations and terminating the business dealings of El Al Airlines in South Africa;

5. Actively promote an academic boycott of Israel by ensuring that all academic links with Israel by our tertiary institutions and research organisations are severed immediately;

6. Prosecute all South African citizens who serve in the Israeli armed forces, as is required by the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, and;

7. Ensure that Israeli war criminals will be prosecuted if they enter South Africa – as is South Africa’s obligation under the Rome Statute.

South Africans will not be fooled by the lies that are now being told by the South African Zionist Federation on behalf of the Israeli apartheid state and on behalf of the Israeli military which was responsible for the heinous crimes on Monday.  As a country that has experienced the Sharpeville, June 16th, Langa, and many other apartheid massacres, we have heard all these lies and guilt-soothing excuses – heavily armed soldiers fearing for their lives from activists wielding knives, or stones, or slings, etc.  We did not believe the apartheid regime then; South Africans will not believe these recycled lies today.

We demand that the Egyptian government keeps the Rafah Crossing open indefinitely to allow free access to and the Gaza strip.

We commit ourselves to mobilise our trade union members to organise active campaigns to isolate Israel by refusing to handle goods to and from Israel. In this regard, we salute the workers of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union who today decided that, in the light of Israeli piracy, they will not allow any Israeli ship to unload goods at South African ports.

Activities around the country will continue in protest against Israel and its murderous actions. A mass protest rally will take place in Soweto on Saturday at the well-known protest venue, Uncle Tom’s Hall and the campaign to deepen the South African boycotts, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel will be intensified.

For more information, please call:

Tahir Sema (South African Municipal Workers’ Union): 082 940 3403
Salim Vally (Palestine Solidarity Committee): 082 802 5936
Igsaan Hendricks (Muslim Judicial Council): 083 384 6973
Naazim Adam (Palestine Solidarity Alliance): 082 336 6711
Mercia Andrews (Palestine Solidarity Group): 082 368 3429

This initiative is endorsed by:

COSATU
South African Council of Churches
South African Communist Party
Palestine Solidarity Committee
Palestine Solidarity Group
Palestine Solidarity Alliance
South African Municipal Workers’ Union
Media Review Network
Muslim Judicial Council
Muslim Youth Movement
Open Shuhada Street

South African Municipal Workers Union declares, every municipality an apartheid-Israel-free zone!

By the South African Municipal Workers Union

June 4, 2010 – At its central executive committee (CEC) meeting Friday, SAMWU unanimously endorsed a motion to immediately work towards every municipality in South Africa to become an Apartheid Israel free zone.

As part of the global Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions Campaign (BDS) SAMWU has agreed to engage every single municipality to ensure that there are no commercial, academic, cultural, sporting or other linkages whatsoever with the Israeli regime. Every SAMWU branch will immediately approach municipal and water authorities to become part of the BDS campaign, and to publicly declare their solidarity with the Palestinian people.

This decision was taken in response to the appalling actions of the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people, and especially the recent military intervention against the peace flotilla that aimed to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Gaza.

The SAMWU CEC congratulated the African National Congress government for exercising diplomatic pressure on the Israeli regime but urged the government to take further steps to isolate the regime until there is a genuine independent democratic state for all the people of Palestine.

SAMWU pledged its active support to the Coalition for a Free Palestine (CFP), and also congratulated its sister union, the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (SATAWU), for refusing to handle Israeli goods at the ports.

Finally the CEC urged all unions and civil society organisations to join in this crucial campaign, to take whatever action they can to further isolate Israeli Apartheid, and to be a positive part of the solution to the terrible humanitarian catastrophe that faces the Palestinian people.

For further comment contact Steve Faulkner, SAMWU’s International and Equality Officer on 0828175455.

South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union calls for escalation of union boycotts of Israeli goods

By Zenzo Mahlangu, SATAWU general secretary

June 3, 2010 – The South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (SATAWU) has condemned the attack on aid ships launched by the Israeli state. This last act of Israeli state sponsored murder left nine people dead and many others injured.

The attack which took place in international waters is nothing less than an act of international piracy. The ships were carrying aid to the beleaguered peoples of in Gaza. This attack and Israel’s continued closure of the border has worsened the appalling conditions that those who live in Gaza are forced to endure.

SATAWU salutes the Swedish dock workers for their blockade of all Israeli ships. 

The union calls for an escalation of the boycott of Israeli goods and call upon our fellow trade unionists not to handle them.

We call upon our members not to allow any Israeli ship to dock or unload in any South African port.

While welcoming the recall of the South African ambassador to Israel we demand that our government now cut all diplomatic ties with this murderous regime.

We welcome the worldwide condemnation of this act of piracy but note with alarm the failure of the US government once again to take decisive action against Israel. We condemn and reject their call for an internal enquiry into the events and call upon the US government to take this opportunity to reverse its support for Israel all other repressive regimes in the Middle East.

We reaffirm our support for Palestinian national sovereignty and demand the immediate withdrawal of Israel from all occupied territory.

Australia: CFMEU speaks out in favour of boycotts, divestment and sanctions

Andrew Ferguson, the NSW secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) addresses the Sydney Gaza solidarity rally on June 5, 2010, and talks of growing support from Australian trade unions for the boycotts, divestment and sanctions campaign. He is introduced by Pip Hinman of the Stop The War Coalition.

Australia: South Coast Labour Council backs Israel boycott

June 3, 2010 – The South Coast Labour Council has backed unions, including the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), calling for a boycott of products and goods produced by Israel in illegal settlements of occupied Palestinian territories and will be urging the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and all trades and labour councils to follow suit. The South Coast Labour Council has also endorsed the rally in Wollongong this Saturday [June 5] to protest the murder of activists forming part of the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza.

South Coast Labour Council secretary, Arthur Rorris, said:

“We need to call this for what it is, murder on the high seas.

“Now is the time for a strong concerted effort on the part of the international community to let the Israeli leadership know that they have completely isolated themselves with their ongoing persecution and suppression of the Palestinian people.

“A boycott of Israeli goods produced in the illegal settlements is a good way for the international community to send a strong message to the Israeli leadership that humanity will not turn a blind eye to the injustice that is being inflicted on the Palestinian people.

“South Coast unions have reaffirmed the South Coast Labour Council’s long-standing policy supporting the creation of a permanent and secure Palestinian state as a necessary condition for longer term ‘peace with justice’ in the region.

“In Wollongong an urgent protest will be held on Saturday to give our community an opportunity to peacefully express their anger and send a message to Israel’s leaders."

Wollongong protest 

When: 12 noon, Saturday, June 5, 2010.

Where: Outside Telstra Building , cnr Kembla & Crown streets.

Speakers: Turkish & Palestinian community, No War Group, unions and community reps.

Australian Services Union NSW and ACT branch supports BDS campaign

ASU NSW and ACT Branch executive resolution

June 4, 2010 – This Executive condemns violence in all its forms. We also condemn racism, including anti-Semitism and discrimination against individuals or people because of their race or religion. We also believe in the importance of international law and that all countries should abide by and uphold international law to ensure the human rights of all peoples are protected and not abused or undermined.  

We believe that Israel and Palestine have the right to exist as states within the borders of the 1967 UN resolution and that both states should have the right to security within their borders.

We have heard the report from the secretary on the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Gaza. We express our deep concern at the Israeli government’s actions which contravene international law, violate the human rights of Palestinians and work against the securing of a long-term peace.

We condemn the building of illegal settlements and a wall that goes beyond the 1967 borders. We also condemn the use of checkpoints within the occupied territories which humiliate and severely disrupt the economic and day to day life of Palestinians. The situation for Palestinian refugees is unacceptable and we support their right of return or just compensation.

Finally, we condemn the siege on Gaza which is having extremely serious humanitarian consequences for the 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip. 

As we believe that international law should be upheld, we resolve to support consumer boycotts of products made in the illegal settlements, as well as consumer boycotts of companies who assist in, or profit from, the occupation of Palestinian territories. In addition, we resolve to review our investments and divest from such companies. We believe that it is immoral for companies to profit from the violation of international law and that no support, including economic support, should be given to the illegal settlements.

We resolve to continue to participate in these boycotts and our divestment under the banner of the international BDS movement until Israel abides by international law as detailed above.

Labor for Palestine (USA) condemns flotilla massacre, supports worker action to boycott Israel

By Labor for Palestine

June 7, 2010

“Gaza today has become the test of our universal morality and our common humanity. During the South African anti-apartheid struggle, the world was inspired by the brave and principled actions of dockworkers unions who refused to handle South African cargo, contributing significantly to the ultimate fall of apartheid. Today, we call on you, dockworkers unions of the world, to do the same against Israel’s occupation and apartheid. This is the most effective form of solidarity to end injustice and uphold universal human rights.” – Palestinian Trade Union Movement Calls on International Dockworkers Unions to Block Loading/Offloading Israeli Ships Until Israel Complies Fully with International Law and Ends its Illegal Siege of Gaza, June 7, 2010[1]

As trade unionists in the United States, we join with labor bodies around the world to condemn Israel’s May 31 armed assault on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

To date, these include the South African Congress of Trade Unions; National Union of Mineworkers (South Africa), Irish Congress Of Trade Unions; Maritime Union of Australia; New Zealand Council of Trade Unions; International Dockworkers Council; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (Turkey); GSEE (Greek TUC); ADEDY (Greek public sector union federation); Trades Union International of Workers in the Building, Wood, Building Materials and Allied Industries; International Federation of Journalists; World Federation of Trade Unions; International Trade Union Confederation; International Transport Workers’ Federation; Public Services International; Unite (U.K.); Canadian Union of Postal Workers; Canadian Union of Public Employees; Education International; and US Labor Against the War.

Notwithstanding Israeli propaganda — abetted by the corporate media — the Flotilla Massacre was a premeditated act of state terrorism.

Taking place in international waters under cover of darkness, it targeted 750 unarmed volunteers from 40 countries seeking to relieve the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s illegal and immoral collective punishment against the 1.5 million people in Gaza. This criminal assault killed and wounded scores of aid workers, while abducting, jailing and deporting hundreds of survivors.

This crime against humanity only symbolizes a regime rooted in more than six decades of piracy, ethnic cleansing, racism, and apartheid against Palestinians and other indigenous people of the region.

Most immediately, it is a direct extension of the 2008/2009 Gaza massacre that killed 1400 people, most of them civilians, which has been condemned by the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations, including those that are Israeli.

That Israel’s crimes nonetheless continue unabated is due entirely to support from its international sponsors. In the past ten years alone, the US government — with overwhelming bipartisan support — has given Israel $17 billion in military aid; over the next decade, it will give another $30 billion.

Thus, this attack, like Israel’s entire war on Palestine, was carried out with US-supplied naval vessels, Apache helicopters and other weapons. Once again, through its not-so-silent complicity, the Obama administration is letting Israel get away with murder.

Workers in this country pay a staggering human and financial price for US-Israeli war and occupation from Palestine to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Iran.

Yet, top US labor officials — often without the knowledge or consent of union members — collaborate with the Histadrut, the segregated Zionist labor federation that defends every attack on Palestinian rights,[2] including the Flotilla Massacre. These same leaders invest billions from our union pension and retirement funds in State of Israel Bonds.

US labor officials’ policies directly violate the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against apartheid Israel, initiated in 2005 by Palestinian civil society — including its entire labor movement.

Inspired by the international boycott that helped topple apartheid South Africa, the campaign demands Palestinian self-determination, including an end to Israeli military occupation, the right of refugees to return, and equal rights for all throughout historic Palestine.

BDS has been endorsed by labor bodies around the world, including the trade union congresses of South Africa, Ireland, Scotland and the UK, and labor bodies in Australia, France, Canada, Norway, Catalunya, and Italy.

Just one day before the Gaza Flotilla Massacre, the University and College Union (UK) voted to “sever all relations with Histadrut, and to urge other trade unions and bodies to do likewise.”[3]

South African workers play a leading role in the BDS movement because they remember that Israel was apartheid South Africa’s closest ally, and they agree with the observation of numerous South African freedom fighters that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is “worse than apartheid.”[4]

In February 2009, South African and Australian dockworkers refused to handle Israeli goods and the South African Congress of Trade Unions (COSATU) “call[ed] on other workers and unions to . . . do all that is necessary to ensure that they boycott all goods to and from Israel until Palestine is free.”[5]

In response to the Gaza Flotilla Massacre, the Swedish Port Workers Union has announced it will blockade Israeli ships and cargo from June 15-24. The South African dockers (SAWATU) have “salute[d] the Swedish dock workers for their blockade of all Israeli ships” and “call[ed] for an escalation of the boycott of Israeli goods and call upon our fellow trade unionists not to handle them.”[6]

Now, the entire Palestinian trade union movement, “calls on dockworkers’ unions worldwide to block Israeli maritime trade in response to Israel’s massacre of humanitarian relief workers and activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla, until Israel complies with international law and ends its illegal blockade of Gaza.”[7]

Israel deliberately carried out the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Massacre in order to silence opposition to its strangulation of Gaza. But just as the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre and the 1976 Soweto Massacre spelled the ultimate doom of South African apartheid, Israel’s attack has already had the opposite effect.

New waves of volunteers are coming forward to break the siege, which is already beginning to crack. The BDS movement is exploding. Already, it is clear that the Flotilla martyrs did not die in vain.

Just as labor solidarity played a critical role in toppling South African apartheid, it now has the potential to cripple Israeli apartheid. Therefore, we urge trade unionists in the US to call on our unions, the AFL-CIO and Change to Win to condemn the Gaza Flotilla Massacre and support the international labor BDS campaign to:

1. End US military and economic aid for, and ties with, Israel.

2. Divest from State of Israel Bonds.

3. Refuse to handle Israeli goods and cargo.

4. Break ties with all Israeli state institutions, including the Histadrut.

Notes

[1] http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/712

[2] http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/4557

[3] http://www.pacbi.org/etemplate.php?id=1249

[4] http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/03/israel-and-apartheid-is-it-a-fair-comparison/

[5] http://links.org.au/node/888

[6] http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?include=docs/pr/2010/pr0604d.html&ID=3434&cat=COSATU%20Today

[7] http://www.bdsmovement.net/?q=node/712

—————–

[US trade uinionists can sign on to this statement HERE.]

Initial signers
(List in formation — ALL UNIONS LISTED FOR IDENTIFICATION ONLY. Sign on to letter)

Monadel Herzallah, President, Arab American Union Members Council, California

Larry Adams, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War; Former President, NPMHU L. 300

Michael Letwin, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War; Former President, UAW L. 2325/ALAA; Al-Awda NY; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network/Labor

Brenda Stokely, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War; Former President, AFSCME DC 1707; Co-Chair, Million Worker March Movement

Stanley Heller, AFT L. 1547, Delegate, CT Central Labor Council

Marty Goodman, Former Executive Board Member, TWU L. 100

Steve Zeltzer, Producer, Labor Video Project

Joe Iosbaker, Executive Board, SEIU L. 73

Larry Bradshaw, Third Vice President SEIU L. 1021

Antonia Codling, Former Executive Bd. Member, UAW L. 2325/ALAA

Azalia Torres, Former Executive Bd. Member, UAW L. 2325/ALAA

Noha Arafa, ALAA/UAW L. 2325

Keith B. Sadler, UAW L. 12

Andy Griggs, United Teachers Los Angeles/AFT L. 1021; Co-Chair, California Teachers Association, Peace and Justice Caucus

Carol Gay, Convenor, NJ Labor Against War; EVP, NJ Industrial Union Council

Anthony Arnove, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981

Dr. Simona Sharoni, Associate Professor of Gender & Women’s Studies, UUP, SUNY, Plattsburgh, NY

Michael Yates, AFT; Adjunct Professor, UMass-Amherst Labor Studies

Manzar Foroohar, Local Board, San Luis Obispo Chapter, California Faculty Association

Mary Scully, IUE L. 201, Lynn, MA (ret.)

Dr. Nagesh Rao, TCNJ Federation of Teachers, AFT L. 2364

Sherna Berger Gluck, Former Vice President, CFA-SEIU L. 1983

Dave Welsh, Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council

Dennis Kortheuer, California Faculty Association

Howard Lenow, Union Attorney; American Jews for a Just Peace

Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary, AFT L. 1493, the San Mateo (CA) Community College Federation of Teachers

Jerry Silberman, Senior Staff Representative, Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, AFL-CIO

Mike Gimbel, Chairperson, Labor-Community Unity Committee, AFSCME DC 37 L. 375

James Holstun, UB Center Chapter, United University Professions, NYSUT, AFT

Wren Osborn, Associate Member, United Steelworkers of America

Bill Bachmann, APWU L. 10

Eric Robson, Steward, AFSCME L. 171

Elizabeth Hauser, North Thurston Education Association

Mark S. Clinton, Massachusetts Community College Council, NEA

Donald Dinelli, NEA-CTA-OEA

Sam Weinstein, Former President, UWUA L. 132; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network/Labor

Roland Sheppard, Retired BA, Painters L. 4

Steve Ongerth, IWW Bay Area General Membership Branch and Executive Board Member, San Francisco Bay Area IBU-ILWU

Charles Smith, AFSCME L. 444; Delegate, Alameda Central Labor Council

Janice Rothstein, AFSCME L. 3299

Tiffany Yee, Steward, UAW L. 2322

Carole Seligman, South San Francisco Classroom Teachers Association

Sameerah Ahmad, UAW L. 2322, Graduate Employee Organization (GEO), UMass-Amherst

Jen Bills, Region 67, IEA-NEA

Lee Sustar, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981

Lorrie Beth Slonsky, Retired Paramedic, San Francisoco Fire Department, SEIU L. 1021 retiree

Frank Couget, National Association of Letter Carriers

Sabina Virgo, Founding and Past President, AFSCME L. 2620

Carl Gentile, National Representative, American Federation of Government Employees (AFL-CIO)

Alex Kantrowitz, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, L. 700

Blanche Bebb, Retired SEIU L. 250 Executive Board and Vice President SF

Robert Price, AFT L. 2121

Steve Terry, ALAA/UAW L. 2325

Moises Montoya, IFPTE L. 21

Nancy Reiko Kato UPTC-CWA 9119, L. 1

Toni Mendicino, CUE L. 3, UC Berkeley

Judy Greenspan, United Teachers Of Richmond UTR

Jon Sternberg, CNA

Donna Carter, CNA

Joe Blum, Retired Business Agent, Boilermakers L. 6

Matthew Klein, Bricklayers L. 3

Edith M Hallberg, Berkeley Federation Of Teachers BFT, Retired

Mark Airgood, OEA

Bill Preston, President, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), L. 17, AFL-CIO

Shelley Ettinger, AFT L. 3882; former delegate, New York City Central Labor Council

Kate Zaidan, Industrial Workers of the World

Don DeBar, WBAI Unpaid Staff Organizing Committee

George dePue, former organizer, District 65/UAW

International endorsers

Mike Treen, National Director, Unite Union, New Zealand

Tyler Shipley, Dept. of Political Science, York University, Toronto, Canada; CUPE L. 3903

David Heap, University of Western Ontario Faculty Association; Labour For Palestine, Canada

Sally Elabasery, Teaching Assistant; CUPE L. 3903

Brian Kelly, UCU Committee Member, Belfast, Northern Ireland; formerly Int’l Brotherhood of Carpenters L. 33, Boston and IUMSWA L. 25, East Boston

Ross Ashley, SEIU L. 1, Canada