Trade union boycott motions against Israel: weakening the prospects of peace
A number of trade unions in the UK issued resolutions in 2007 that either directly or indirectly called for divestment from and boycotts of Israel. This year, several unions have preliminary boycott motions on the agenda for their 2008 conferences.
We believe that it is right for unions around the world to be discussing the plight of the Palestinians and seeking ways to provide assistance to them. We do not want to suppress trade union debate on the actions of the Israeli government nor undermine support for the Palestinian people. But we believe that support for Palestinians should not be counterproductive to the situation on the ground and the ongoing peace process. Rather than divestment from Israel, we believe that investment of time, energy and material aid in the peace process is the way to meaningful progress towards achieving a lasting settlement.
Calling for boycotts of Israel is not the right approach for trade unions for a number of important reasons:
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