UK: Unite union reaffirms support for Palestine and BDS

Unite the Union, which represents 1.2 million workers in the UK, has today passed three crucial motions reaffirming its ongoing solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation, affirming support for the Palestinian call for a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel ends its violation of Palestinian rights, and condemning the government’s anti-boycott bill which is currently at committee stage in the House of Commons.

In its conference, Unite noted the anti-boycott bill will shield companies engaged in human rights abuses or environmental destruction by preventing public bodies from cutting financial ties with them over abusive or illegal actions committed in a foreign state, unless expressly permitted to do so by the government. It will also violate the rights of Local Government Pension Scheme members, including members of Unite the Union, preventing them from choosing how their deferred wages are invested.

Speaking following the passing of today’s motions, Director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Ben Jamal, said: “At a moment when the Government’s anti-boycott bill seeks to delegitimise the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS), the unanimous support of Unite the Union’s members at conference today for motions affirming support for BDS is crucial. Unite has made clear that it will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinian people and reject all efforts to delegitimise their struggle for liberation.”

A further motion passed today affirms the Union’s recognition that Israel is practising the crime of apartheid and calls for an end to the UK Government’s proposed free trade agreement with Israel.

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