General Council Gaza statement speech

All of us watched the news from Gaza this summer with deep distress about the mounting scale of death, destruction and displacement.

Perhaps among the most shocking images we saw were those of four small figures running across the beach. They had been playing.

When the sea wall was shelled they began running away. Journalists who witnessed the attack reported that the second shelling seemed to target them as they fled.

All four were killed. They were just little boys. Children.

The TUC's constitution and trade union values commit us to internationalism and to working for peace. Our sympathy goes to all victims of the violence from whatever quarter, and to their families.

When the bombardment of Gaza began, the General Council adopted a statement which called for an immediate, permanent and negotiated ceasefire.

The response of the British government has been unacceptable. Back in July I met David Cameron and pressed then that he should stop the arms trade with Israel to help stop the bloodshed and build pressure for an end to the conflict.

We had hoped that this is what could be achieved through the agreement that was eventually reached between the Palestinian Authority, Hamas and the Israeli Government.

We welcomed that ceasefire because it provided some respite for the people of Gaza.  And we welcomed any relaxation of the blockade, while continuing to argue that the blockade was illegal and that, along with the illegal occupation and settlements, it must end, in line with UN resolutions.

But no sooner had the fighting stopped, than the Israeli Government announced further land grabs in the West Bank - another shocking provocation.

Congress, the General Council statement before you condemns the attacks on UN schools and facilities, and welcomes the UN Human Rights Council’s announcement of a commission of inquiry. It also welcomes the creation of a unity government in Palestine that improves the chances of a negotiated peace.

The TUC has a long record of solidarity with union centres across the Middle East. But whether it is Gaza or the West Bank, the PGFTU is the trade union movement for Palestine, and we rightly give priority to a union movement that is in great need of our attention, assistance and solidarity.

The General Council has a long standing commitment to send a delegation to Gaza, to show our solidarity. We still hope to go, with the PGFTU, by the end of the year.

This Statement commits the TUC and our unions to use our strength to help end the arms trade with Israel and all those corporations complicit in that trade and in the illegal occupation.
And all of us need to keep up our contribution to humanitarian aid through the ITUC and global unions.

Congress, as the Statement makes clear, the trade union movement will never waver in our opposition to anti-semitism or any form of racism, discrimination or hate crime, at home and abroad.

And we will continue to support a two-state solution, based on security for both Israel and Palestine, and self determination and justice for the Palestinian people.

Congress, let's never forget that in any conflict, children are the first to suffer. This statement sets out the steps that we believe would contribute to a lasting peace with justice. Please support it.