Labour still complicit in genocide say unions, in historic TUC Congress BDS vote

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ANDY BURNHAM’S government remains complicit in genocide, unions said as TUC passed an historic vote to back the Palestinian-led BDS campaign against Israel today.

Ministers announced new restrictions on trade and weapons exports with illegal settlers in Palestine earlier this month.

Campaigners hailed delegates in Brighton for voting to support the “Palestinian-led boycott, divest and sanctions (BDS) movement” and call on the government to impose “wide-ranging sanctions on Israel until it complies with international law.”

Moving the motion, Artists Union England’s Zita Holbourne said that the government’s recent acceptance of a 2024 International Court of Justice ruling urging Israel not to commit genocide in Gaza “is not enough.”

“Palestinian society, including unions, have reiterated the call for the international community to implement BDS against ongoing crimes of genocide, apartheid and occupation,” she said.

The motion also called on ministers to “commit to freedom of speech and end attempts to censor artists and art organisations expressing solidarity with Palestine” after it emerged on Tuesday that rapper Macklemore was removed from an Ed Sheeran concert for backing the war-torn territory.

Seconding, Unison delegate Margaret McKee said that unions will continue to call on Labour to fully suspend arms trade with Israel and the Britain-Israel trade partnership agreement until “human rights and international law are respected.”

“If the government doesn’t do this, you are still being complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people,” she said.

Unite’s Megan Demeo stressed the importance of “engaging with union members and reps in affected sectors,” while NASUWT general secretary Matt Wrack added that pro-Palestine Israelis are “part and parcel of this movement too.”

The BDS campaign’s tactics include withdrawing support from Israeli and international companies deemed complicit in Palestinian rights violations.

Movement co-founder Omar Barghouti said that Britain’s recent action is “way short” of meeting its legal obligations to “end complicity in genocide, in apartheid, in illegal occupation.”

He called for “massive people power” to make the government cut all military and security intelligence ties with Israel that enable its crimes against Palestinians.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign deputy director Peter Leary called on workers to “put this motion into practice” by joining the now TUC-backed workplace day of action in solidarity with Palestine on November 26. 

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