TUC statement on the crisis in Gaza

TUC statement on Gaza

Tuesday 4 March 2008

The TUC expresses its deep concern about the events in Gaza last week, and the continuing crisis.

The TUC believes that restraint is needed on all sides.

We condemn the Hamas-inspired rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, which are clearly designed to terrorise and provoke a violent confrontation, and which are of a piece with Hamas' repeated attacks on the Palestinian trade union movement, including the seizure last year of the PGFTU headquarters in Gaza destroyed last week by Israeil jets.

But we also consider the reaction of the Israeli Defence Force to be disproportionate and ultimately ineffective, resulting in the deaths of many Palestinian citizens and representing further evidence of collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

The situation will not be solved by violence but by political and economic initiatives, in which trade unionists in Israel and Palestine could play a leading role.

Further information

• ITUC statement at http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?article1868
• PGFTU statement at http://www.pgftu.org/En/?cat=view&Id=53