Gaza ceasefires welcome, now build the peace, says TUC

Gaza ceasefires

TUC statement

Monday 19 January 2008

The TUC welcomes the ceasefires declared by the Israeli government and Hamas over the weekend, and now joins the International Trade Union Confederation in calling on all parties to take steps towards a political solution to the problems of Gaza and the Middle East.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'The fighting has stopped and must not be resumed by either Hamas or the Israeli army. Israel must withdraw and the border crossings must be opened. Gaza's people, and the rest of the region, need a sustainable peace which can only come through a political settlement leading to a durable two-state solution. The dreadful loss of life in Gaza, especially among the children, is a tragedy not only for the Palestinians but for the whole world.

'We send our solidarity to the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions, and urge trade unionists in Britain to redouble their contributions to the TUC Give for Gaza appeal. The restraint shown by Palestinians in the West Bank shows clearly that the vast majority of Palestinians are committed to peace.

'A sustainable peace must start with reopening the border crossings into Gaza for humanitarian assistance and, in the longer term, the free movement of people and goods: Gaza needs to be rebuilt and we must all play our part. It also requires an end to rocket attacks and smuggling of arms into Gaza.'

The TUC has endorsed the call by the International Trade Union Confederation for urgent and large-scale humanitarian relief, to help medical services cope with the thousands of wounded and enable people to begin to rebuild their shattered lives. Reconstruction of the thousands of destroyed and damaged buildings and other infrastructure needs to take place without delay.

ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder said:

'United Nations Resolutions set out the principles for achieving a just and durable peace, with two sovereign and democratic states living side by side. These Resolutions must now be implemented in full and with urgency. Guarantees of long-denied justice for Palestinians, and security for all in the region, will be critically important if real progress is to be made, and if the horrendous events of these last weeks of fighting are never to be repeated.'

The second shipment of trade union humanitarian aid to Gaza, due to arrive this Wednesday, includes urgently-needed supplies provided from the ITUC solidarity appeal and delivered via the ITUC/ITF humanitarian effort in coordination with their Palestinian and Jordanian affiliates, supported by the TUC Aid Give for Gaza appeal.