South African Trade Unions Support Palestinians

[brianold]

i find it interesting that they call Israel an apartheid state... what do u guys think about that?


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The Congress of South African Trade Unions issues statement supporting
CUPE resolution.

The President
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario
June 6, 2006

Brother Sid Ryan

On behalf over 1,2 million South African workers organized under the
banner of COSATU I greet you in the name of worker internationalism. It
is this solidarity, since the formation of the very first union and
across space and time, often in the face of harsh repression, that
provided vital moral succour and allowed workers to strengthen their
resolve against oppression and exploitation.

In this spirit and with great pride, I congratulate CUPE Ontario for
their historic resolution on May 27th in support of the Palestinian
people - those living under occupation and those millions of Palestinian
refugees living in the Diaspora. We fully support your resolution.

As someone who lived in apartheid South Africa and who has visited
Palestine I say with confidence that Israel is an apartheid state. In
fact, I believe that some of the atrocities committed against the
Palestinians pale in comparison to those committed by the erstwhile
apartheid regime in South Africa.

The latest outrage by the apartheid Israeli regime-the construction of
the hideous Apartheid Wall-condemned by the International Court of
Justice- extends the occupation of Palestinian lands, disrupts the
already precarious economic, social, health and education well being of
an entire people and entrenches the Bantustanisation of Palestine.

When the governments of the world turn a blind eye to these injustices;
when they are seduced by apartheid Israel's justification of brutality
through the pretext of 'security'; when they silence criticism of state
terror through the canard of 'anti-semitism'-then it is time for the
global workers movement to stand firm and principled against hypocrisy
and double standards. We cannot remain silent any longer. It is time to
stand in word and in deed with the peoples of the Middle East and heed
their call to support the struggle against occupation. There will be no
peace in this region and in the world, without justice.

Despite the action of some Western governments and big business, workers
and democrats of the world including the citizens of Canada, heeded our
call when we struggled against apartheid. Boycotts, disinvestments and
sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa hastened our
march to democracy. Why should it be different for Palestinians? In the
face of an intransigent, arrogant, racist and brutal Israeli state, this
strategy of isolation-particularly since the vast majority of
Palestinians support it-should be applied to Israel as well. It is a
peaceful option.

South African workers will never forget the support given by the Israeli
state to the apartheid South African regime. In the same way we will
never forget the thousands of acts of solidarity of ordinary citizens
around the world who sustained our struggle through the boycott weapon.

COSATU supports the demand that Apartheid Israel must respect and
implement all resolutions passed by the United Nations; that the right
of return of Palestinian refugees must not be compromised; that Israel
respects the democratically elected government of Palestine; and that
Palestinian taxes collected by Israel must be returned to the elected
representatives of Palestine unconditionally.

Those supporting the ideology of Zionism and the pro-Israeli lobby will
muster their substantial resources against you. Despite these pressures,
we ask you not to doubt for a single moment the correctness of your just
stand. We salute the courage and vision of CUPE Ontario's leadership and
members in unanimously passing resolution 50. Your unwavering resolve
inspires us, we who lived through decades of apartheid oppression, as it
will undoubtedly inspire and endear you to millions of Palestinian and
other freedom loving people throughout the world.

In Solidarity

Willie Madisha
President
Congress of South African Trade Unions.