SA COSATU to intensify campaign in solidarity with Palestine

SA COSATU to intensify campaign in solidarity with Palestine
http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=9277

5 August 2014

The Congress of South African Trade Unions held a joint meeting of its Political and Socio-economic Commissions (CEC sub-committees) on 5 August 2014. It resolved to intensify its campaign of solidarity with the people of Palestine and against the brutal military rampage against the people of Gaza by the Israel apartheid state which has left around 1900 Palestinians dead.

The meeting agreed to urgently step up its solidarity campaign and to co-ordinate it more effectively with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions SA and many other civil society groups. We shall continue to demand the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to SA and the recall of the SA ambassador to Israel.

The main thrust of the campaign must now be to organise an economic, trade, investment and cultural boycott that bites. Lists are to be drawn up of all the Israeli companies operating in South Africa, and all Israeli-made products so that we can mobilise a mass movement to boycott them.

In order to hit the Israel economy where it hurts, we are also urging all our affiliates to use their investment and provident funds more effectively to support this campaign and target international companies propping up the regime by supplying Israel with goods and services, particularly those supplying finance, arms and infrastructure that enable it to operate in the Palestine occupied territories. That is the only language the Israeli rulers will understand.

We note and welcome the several countries and organisations all over the world that have taken steps to isolate the apartheid state of Israel and concretely supported the Palestine people’s struggle to end Israel’s colonial expansionism. We particularly applaud the solidarity action taken by Latin American governments.

Our campaign is to end apartheid and occupation now. There will be no peace in the Middle East unless the world acts with decisiveness, not just for piecemeal ceasefires, but to end the occupation and colonialism by the state of Israel.

The Special CEC of COSATU next week will make further announcements on developing this programme of action towards building a more sustainable and effective momentum in support of the Palestinian people’s struggles.

We shall be drawing on the experience of the international anti-apartheid campaign and studying similar campaigns against Israel in other countries to learn lessons on the best way to put pressure on the Israeli apartheid regime to stop its carnage

We urge all members and supporters to attend the mass rally in Cape Town on Saturday 9 August and all other rallies across the country.

Stop the Israeli apartheid state’s war against the people of Gaza!

Forward to a free and independent Palestine!

Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Streets
Braamfontein
2017

P.O.Box 1019
Johannesburg
2000
South Africa

Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct 010 219-1339
Fax: +27 11 339-6940
Mobile: +27 82 821 7456
E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za

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