Via Tadamon…

Statement, Trade Union Friends of Palestine (ICTU), 5 June 2008
At its Biennial Delegate Conference in May 2008 the public sector union IMPACT passed two motions criticizing Israeli suppression of the Palestinian people and calling for a boycott of Israeli goods and services. The motions also called for divestment from those companies engaged in or profiting from the occupation as well as an education campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people. Conference furthermore called on the Irish Government to take a stand on Palestine independent of EU foreign policy, demanded the restoration of EU funding, and also called for the suspension of the preferential trading status enjoyed under the Euro-Med Agreement.
The passing of these motions is yet another very significant development in terms of trade union solidarity since IMPACT is the largest public sector union in Ireland. As such it represents a huge cross section of Irish opinion and is indicative of the outrage felt by the Irish people over Israeli injustices and war crimes. It should be noted that the IMPACT motions follow on from the motions passed by NIPSA, the largest public sector union in Northern Ireland. At the NIPSA conference a total of five motions were passed — all unanimous — severely criticizing Israel and calling for a number of solidarity activities including boycott and divestment and the suspension of Euro-Med.
That the two largest public sector unions in Ireland — encompassing both jurisdictions — have come out so strongly in favor of boycott and divestment is of great significance. It sends a very strong message to the Israeli government, and to the Irish government, that one of the most important sectors of Irish civil society is aware of what is happening in the region and is prepared to do something about it. This was also evident at the national May Day parade in Belfast when no less than three of the speakers on the platform called for a mobilization of the Irish working class in solidarity with our oppressed brothers and sisters in Palestine.

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