International outrage against Israel, more unions back boycott

June 5, 2010
Issue 
Free Palestine protest in Toronto, Canada, June 1. Photo: Moderator/Flickr

International outrage against Israel’s May 31 massacre of activists on a boat bringing aid to Gaza has been expressed through ongoing mass protests around the world, condemnation of Israel's actions by most governments (except the US), and calls for the immediate lifting of Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

Nicaragua has suspended diplomatic ties with Israel. Sweden, Spain, Turkey, Ecuador and South Africa have recalled their envoys. Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia had already cut their diplomatic ties with Israel.

The Swedish Port Workers will blockade all Israeli ships and cargo to and from Israel from June 15-24 in protest.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) called for support for the international boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) campaign against Israel and urged all South Africans to refuse any dealings with Israeli businesses.

On June 3, the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union called on its members to refuse to allow Israeli ships to dock in South African ports, or to handle any Israeli goods.

On June 4, the South African Municipal Workers Union voted to work to ensure every municipality across the country was completely free of any ties wahtsoever with Israel/

Britain’s largest trade union for academics and academic-related staff in higher education, has voted to support the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel and also sever ties with the Histadrut, the pro-Zionist Israeli labour organisation that has supported Israel’s massacre.

Britain’s largest union, Unite, also unanimously voted to support the BDS campaign at its policy conference on June 2.

Many other trade unions and union federations have denounced the attack and taken some form of action. See Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal, for latest international actions and statements. For details of Australian unions tht have backed the BDS campaign, click here

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