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Trade unionists launch boycott of Israeli goods
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
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Trade unionists are to launch a boycott of Israeli goods as part of a major campaign to secure a peaceful settlement in the Middle East, Stormont heard today.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) launched a report on Israel and Palestine compiled by senior members who visited the troubled region.
As controversy continues to rage over the death toll in Gaza caused by the recent Israeli military attacks, trade union leaders announced they are to hold a major conference this year to act as a springboard for their campaign.
While the DUP dismissed the report as unbalanced and urged unions to concentrate on local economic issues, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams who hosted the report's launch in Stormont's Long Gallery commended the trade unionists.
ICTU President Patricia McKeown led the Middle East visit that involved 11 senior members of the umbrella group representing trade unions across Ireland, including 36 trade unions with 250,948 members in Northern Ireland.
The delegation met Israeli trade unionists and politicians, plus Hamas political leaders, but said they were shocked by the conditions they found in Palestinian areas.
"I was profoundly shocked by what we found," said Ms McKeown.
"I didn't expect the denial of human rights and the discrimination to be so evident and to be an obvious part of daily life.
"To see unemployment on the West Bank rising to 80%, to see people having to get up at three in the morning, and virtually sleep outside the the army controlled crossings in order to get into work - that's something we didn't expect to see."
The ICTU trip took place more than a year ago, but its campaign will move up a gear this year with a major conference to highlight the Palestinian/Israeli situation, while research on a boycott of Israeli goods to press for a settlement will also be finalised.
The ICTU delegates urged an end to rocket attacks on Israel during their a face-to-face meeting with Hamas politicians.
But Ms McKeown said her colleagues were deeply shocked by the conditions they saw in the Palestinian areas they visited and felt compelled to push for international action, with talks already under way with trade unions in Britain and the United States.
But she said she was angry the debate split along unionist/nationalist lines in Northern Ireland.
"Nelson Mandela described this as the most important problem on this planet," she said.
"To come back and find out that this is the way in which it is treated in certain quarters... I put that down to a couple of things, an absence of knowledge... but it is also, in some quarters, extreme fundamentalism responding to extreme fundamentalism."
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams told today's event: "Since the visit by the ICTU delegation, Gaza has been the target of an all-out military assault by Israeli forces. Over 1,300 people were killed, many of them children.
"Unless the international community and that includes the Irish government, the British government, the EU and the US government exercises its considerable influence and authority, any relaxation of the current assault on Gaza will only bring a short respite for citizens there."
He said a sustained international effort was needed to secure a durable settlement and added: "If the conflict here taught us anything, that is that no conflict is intractable. There are solutions."
The ICTU praised Ulster Unionist Fred Cobain for providing the necessary cross-party support to host the event in Stormont and the trade unionists insisted an open debate on the Middle East was vital.
But the DUP's Robin Newton said the ICTU report was unbalanced and he warned sanctions would hurt innocent Israelis and Palestinians.
"I can only wonder about the attitude of the ordinary member of a trade union who witnesses the senior members of their union traipsing around the Middle East delving into complex problems when the employees of local firms are facing redundancy, cutbacks or at least very challenging times," he said.
Mr Newton said: "The report takes no cognisance of the difficulties of Israeli men women and children, the daily deadly Hamas rockets launched into homes, shops and schools, the many suicide bombers and the need for innocent Israeli families to enjoy peace and security.
"ICTU would be better concentrating their efforts on behalf of the local TU members rather than delving into complicated international relationships that have perplexed the best minds in the UN, USA and Europe."
The ICTU said it was in favour of a just settlement of the conflict, but Ms McKeown said it was a fact that Palestinians endured very difficult living conditions and needed the support of the outside world.
The SDLP's Carmel Hanna told today's event that the experience of the Troubles should inspire support for peace in the Middle East.
"We have learned from the conflict here that violence does not work and creates bitterness," she said.
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Unlike the protestants of Northern Ireland, the Israelis will never surrender!
Posted by Marty | 05.03.09, 06:55 GMT
I am an American-Jew, and fully support the Irish trade unionists in their boycott of Israeli goods. Criticism of Israel and recognition of the war crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinians is not anti-semitic. A boycott of Israel is a totally appropriate action given the nature of Israeli war crimes. A boycott ended Apartheid in South African, and will end Apartheid in Israel.
I am sure that the memory of what the Irish suffered under British rule is what makes your people sensitive to the plight of the Palestinians.
Posted by Larry Saltzman | 24.02.09, 00:25 GMT
I wonder what I'm doing belonging to a trade union when this is what the ICTU spends their money on. Who exactly were the high ranking ICTU visitors to the sun? I bet they were mostly hard left and Sinn Fein who don't exactly have to travel far to confirm all their prejudices.
Posted by Soon to be unemployed | 16.02.09, 11:16 GMT
Boycott Israeli and American goods in as much as possible.
Not a bad idea at all.
Look to Fair Trade and local for starters
Posted by Kay Taylor | 15.02.09, 16:38 GMT
Tibet? Darfur? Sri Lanka? They were never the favourite causes of the SWP so no boycotts there then.
Posted by disgruntled union member | 14.02.09, 19:54 GMT
What argument is there for boycotting Israel that there isn't for boycotting Hamas run Gaza? Only that the hard left and Irish Republicans love the Palestinians and hate the Israelis, but that won't wash with thousands of trade unionists in Northern Ireland.
Posted by Av | 14.02.09, 19:13 GMT
We need a new class in school that teaches the truth about Palestine. People need to be taught (unbrainwashed) at an early age that the jews stole half of Palestine (50% Jordan) in 1948 with the help of the "U.N." The jews don't have a country. People think that the bible began with Abraham and ended with Israel - or some such tale. They think that israel is in the bible. They've been brainwashed into assuming this and something chiseled in stone like the "ten commandments." The Palestinians, quite simply, want their country back.
Posted by George | 14.02.09, 05:05 GMT
Is everyone boycotting American goods too? (Food, clothing, entertainment etc)
Thought not.
Posted by mickey | 12.02.09, 13:06 GMT
I welcome this action by ICTU as do the vast majority of people who are concerend about human rights. Israel is guilty of the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people. Western governments have taken no action to protect the innocent and defenceless Palestinians and as a result the Zioinist regime in Tel Aviv is emboldened and seeks to complete the ethnic cleansing it began in 1948.
Our political leaders have failed to hold Israel to account but civil society can make a real difference by boycotting Israel goods.
Israel's is the worlds leading producer of cut and polished diamonds. Diamonds accounted for 36% of Israel's total manufacturing output in 2006 - worth almost 17 billion US dollars.
This Valentines day ladies should demand Israel-free diamonds from countries that respect human rights. Israeli diamonds are not covered by the Kimberly Process which only applies to "rough" uncut dianmonds. An Israeli blood diamond is forever... on your conscience.
Posted by Sean Clinton | 11.02.09, 23:48 GMT
As a Union member the ICTU is wrong plain and simple wrong. They have taken a political side not the side of all the working class. They have sanctioned collective punishment on a whole nation and race of people. How socialist is that? While the deaths of any one Jew or Palestinian is wrong its wrong on both sides, as is using your so called own people as human shields. Then again Hamas walk in and take Aid from a UN site why? Because it was being given to non Hamas supporters by the UN. It was not allowed to be controlled by Hamas so they take it by force. No mention in the report that the Israeli and Palestinian Trade Unions have signed a new agreement which is working and bringing two peoples together. A small step yes but a very important step and the sort of step all trade unions should be taking,encouraging diplomacy and bring the people to know each other and talk to find a joint way forward in peace for two States. A Boycott is morally wrong and will not work
Posted by Terry | 11.02.09, 21:36 GMT
The Irish seem to be well ahead of the curve when it comes to rejecting injustice. My hat is off to you.
Posted by NorCal | 11.02.09, 21:14 GMT
well, the trade unions may find themselves being boycotted by members who disagree with thier foray into foreign politics! Foreign policy should be left to Government!
Posted by stuart | 11.02.09, 19:52 GMT
Whilst I support much of what it does, why do the ICTU have to involve any of our politicians? Given the IRA's history of killing workers and intimidating civil servants why is Patricia McKeown so keen to involve Sinn Fein in all this? Is our once independent trade union movement now to be hijacked by people who destroyed so many jobs in our country?
Posted by Curious | 11.02.09, 09:22 GMT
The trade union should not be getting involved in the politics of countries that are equally and openly hostile to each other, The solution to the problem lies with both states,interference from trade unions who have no solution to the problems are not welcomed by any side in the conflict. Why only call on a ban on Israels goods?. This attitude shows that you have only one view and do not care about the folk in Israel who will be disadvantaged at such a move. It would appear that the trade union delegation never made contact with Israeli workers to hear their views which are just as real as those workers in Gaza. So hands off the middle east and hands on Northern Ireland ,workers who are getting laid off work everyday and nobody including trade unions are interested. To tell the media at the closedown of firms that we will be doing our best to get them the best package available is not acceptable. The only acceptable situation is keep the gates open.David TUV Member,
Posted by David | 11.02.09, 08:10 GMT
Hurray to Ireland, the Irish people and the Irish Trade Unionists. Let's hit Israel where it really hurt and stand with your brothers and sisters in Palestine.
Hurray to all of you, I salute you while holding a shot of Irish Whiskey up high in the air.
"Wars are never fought for altruistic reasons. They're usually fought for hegemony, for business. And then of course there's the business of war."
Ziyad O'Zaitoun
Seattle, WA. USA
Posted by Ziyad O'Zaitoun | 11.02.09, 04:53 GMT
I am really proud of the Irish stance, as a people who have known oppression , they are standing by those that are also oppressed.
Pity in the Uk we have a foreign secretary who during Gazas Darkest hours, stood in parliment and said Israel was a beacon of democracy.
Posted by tim | 11.02.09, 01:40 GMT
Congratulations to the ICTU on their boycott of Isreali goods campaign. From the DUP I would expect not other response. In the states, the hyprocitical religious right sides with Isreal, a state that supported apartheid in S. Africa. So to in Nornirn. Keep up the good work ICTU.
Posted by Brian | 11.02.09, 01:23 GMT
Well done for ICTU for taking this action. What is an absolute disgrace that is the fact that Israel is on the EU's preferential trading list; this is something that our MEPs should be shouting about. There should be no support for a regime that systematically abuses human rights in Palestine. Through the occupation of the Palestinian territories, the creation and expansion of Israeli settlements, the building of Israeli-only roads, endless checkpoints and the denial of freedom of movement and the right to live a decent life to Palestinians, Israel should be condemned and its leaders held to account, not lavished with trade deals.
Posted by SDLP member | 10.02.09, 23:09 GMT
Robin Newton - as an ordinary member of a trade union, I for one, am happy for my trade union to "delve into complex matters" and fully support any attempts to draw attention to the abject horror of the war crimes inflicted on so many innocent human beings in the middle east.
Unlike the Trade Unions, when the DUP has attempted to "delve into complex matters" it has ended up inciting hatred against the gay community or spouting madcap theories on creationism and denying global warming! Perhaps your party should stick to what it does best...promoting division, discrimination and narrow mindedness!
Posted by NIPSA member - East Belfast | 10.02.09, 22:22 GMT
Congratulations, Israel must be isolated because of its appalling war crimes in Gaza, If the EU had any dignity or principles at all, it would have expelled the Israeli Ambassadors. Israel must be held to account, and its criminal accomplice the USA. I've just heard that the EU has a favoured trading status with Israel. The EU countries are beneath contempt.
Posted by Patrick Murphy | 10.02.09, 21:34 GMT