Palestinian solidarity call

Supporting a Labour Party conference motion on ethical trade with Israel that does not contravene international law, Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke highlighted escalating attacks taking place against Palestinian communities.

“This motion calls for our solidarity at a critical moment. The Palestinians, occupied and besieged, are facing a new attack.
We have a strong history in the trade unions of supporting Palestinian human rights – we are affiliated to Palestine Solidarity Campaign and support Labour and Palestine,” said Burke.

“Now we need a strong determined show of solidarity to confront the Trump sponsored ‘Deal of the Century’. It is a concerted attempt to destroy the Palestinian cause by stopping all vital funding to the humanitarian agency for Palestinian refugees, increasing the siege of Gaza, and rapidly expanding yet more illegal settlements.”

Burke said Labour should have an ethical and internationalist foreign policy, including by ending arms sales to Israel that are used for aggression and human rights abuses.

He added, “Comrades, as our movement has always said, an injury to one is an injury to all. We stand alongside the Palestinian people – people facing the massive forces arrayed against them with dignity, fortitude and courage. They will not struggle alone.”