Scottish Trade Union Congress supports boycott of Israel

From Jerusalem Post;

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), the umbrella organization of all trade unions in Scotland, has voted unanimously to endorse a boycott of Israeli goods at its annual conference in Perth, central Scotland.

The STUC also voted to "review" its relationship with the Histadrut at the three-day conference, which finished on Thursday, and now joins the Irish Trade Union Congress, which voted to support a boycott of Israel in 2007.

At the conference, the STUC General Council presented a report calling for a boycott, disinvestments and sanctions against Israel "until it complies with international laws and agreed principles of human rights."

The call was supported by a plea to all Scottish trade unions to support the boycott, divest in Israeli companies and call for sanctions.

Speaking before Wednesday's debate, STUC general-secretary Grahame Smith said that "the STUC General Council is recommending support for boycott and calls for sanctions against Israel because of its attacks on the human rights of Palestinian people and its breaches of international laws."

The STUC press statement can be read here. Do note in the JPost article, as usual in Israeli press, any news on the growing international appeal of BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israeli] is followed by a comment of an Apartheid apologist, stating that boycott is 'one-sided', misguided, unhelpful, fails to understand the complexity of the issue, yada, yada...

National demonstration for Gaza, London, May 16

Viva Palestina! 100 vehicles set to leave London en route to Gaza

Reminicent of the solidarity work with Spain during the Spanish Civil War, the largest aid convoy ever from Britain to the Middle East is set to leave from Westminster, London, tomorrow February 14. The convoy consists of 100 vehicles, including a boat, a fire engine and 12 ambulances. Member of Parliament George Galloway will lead the convoy on its travel through Europe, North Africa to Gaza, Palestine. The convoy has been financed through donations from the British people. Video on the launching below, more info at VivaPalestina.org.


Viva Palestina t-shirts can be bought online.

Blogs: Liam, Palestine Support, the Mirror, News links on Gaza: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Holocaust guilt and the Gaza massacre - British Jewish MP denounces Israeli rhetoric in favour of the assault on Gaza

Gerald Kaufman, a Jewish Member of Parliament from the British Labour Party, has sharply condemned the usage of Holocaust guilt analogies in the rhetoric to support the Gaza massacre.

"My grandmother was ill in bed when the Nazis came to her home town.... A German soldier shot her dead in her bed, he said. My grandmother did not die to provide cover for Israeli soldiers murdering Palestinian grandmothers in Gaza,", Kaufman stated

"The present Israeli government ruthlessly and cynically exploit the continuing guilt from Gentiles over the slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust as justification for their murder of Palestinians,", he also stated.

Regarding the claims that the attacks were made against Palestinian militants, Kaufman commented that the Jews fighting in the Warsaw ghetto had also received such labels from the German occupants.

Read article in full at Haaretz
News links: I, II, III, IV, V, VI

British Liberal Democrats welcome suspension of negotations of upgrading trade agreement between EU and Israel

In a statement posted at the website of the British Liberal Democratic party, its 'shadow foreign secretary' Edward Davey states that "[the] belated decision to suspend the upgrading of the new EU-Israel co-operation agreement is very welcome."

Arguing in favour of suspending the negotiations, Liberal Democratic leader Nick Clegg had argued that "The continuing bombardment of Gaza is intolerable and self-defeating. It goes far beyond Israel's right to defend itself." He continued stating that "There is not a terrorist organisation in the world that has been bombed into submission. Innocent people are being killed and injured by a military operation that will only serve to further inflame extremism, and weaken the moderate Palestinian and Arab opinion which Israel's long term security depends on."