BDS movement

It is the duty of unions to ensure that the workers they represent—whether in ports, on ships, in businesses, or in government offices—are not involved, often without their knowledge and/or consent, in actions that involve complicity in atrocity crimes anywhere, including Israel’s war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against Palestinians.

Swipe for just some of the many inspiring expressions of meaningful solidarity by workers and unions from around the world.

International Workers’ Day: Escalate BDS pressure to end all state, corporate and institutional complicity in Israel’s illegal occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Gaza. loom.ly/4U9na3g

Signatories: - General Union of Palestinian Workers (GUPW) - Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), Gaza - Palestinian Union of Postal, IT & Telecommunications Workers - Federation of Independent Trade Unions - The Palestinian New Federation of Trade Unions - General Union of Palestinian Teachers (GUPT) - Association of Employees of The Financial Sector - Palestine - Health Services Employees’ Association - Union of Workers in Kindergartens and Private Schools - Jawwal Employee Association - Union of Workers in Local Authorities - Palestinian Electricians Union - Southern Electricity Company Employees Union - General Union of Palestinian Women

We, the undersigned Palestinian trade unions, call on workers and unions around the world to escalate their support for our liberation struggle.

On International Workers' Day, the Palestinian labor movement reiterates solidarity with workers across the world resisting all forms of oppression and calls for ending complicity in Israel's ongoing genocide and apartheid. Read more ➡️ loom.ly/Aj7NgxE

In addition to this powerful win at the New Zealand High Court, PSNA and other solidarity groups in Aotearoa have organized successful grassroots campaigns for local council divestment from companies involved in Israel’s illegal settlements, with Auckland City Council being the latest and the seventh city taking concrete steps in this direction.

The Fund’s refusal to divest from Airbnb, Booking, Expedia, and Motorola contradicts previous decisions to divest from five Israeli banks in 2021, and from three Israeli companies including its largest weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems in 2012, due to their involvement in Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise and construction of the illegal apartheid wall.

New Zealand’s High Court rules against the states Superannuation Fund (NZ Super) over its investments in companies implicated in Israel’s human rights violations - setting a precedent for sovereign and pension fund investments across the world. Read more ➡️ loom.ly/L3Hwi0M

We call on people in Italy to immediately pressure their government to investigate and take appropriate action to prevent illegal military and dual-use transfers to Israel, including by confiscating illegal cargo — just as has been previously done at Italian ports.

BDS alert: The ship MSC Virginia has just docked at the Italian port of Gioia Tauro. This ship is understood to be carrying steel to Israel for military use in its occupation, apartheid and genocide against Palestinians, and for its aggression against the peoples of the region.

The law leaves no doubt: transfers of military materiel to Israel's regime of illegal occupation and apartheid, particularly during its "plausible" genocide in Gaza, are prohibited.

The BDS movement calls for civil society pressure on Belgium and on all states to: - Put in place and enact due diligence procedures, and immediately investigate and confiscate any military and dual-use cargo headed to Israel. - Implement a comprehensive military embargo on Israel to fulfil their legal obligations under the Genocide Convention, the Apartheid Convention, and the ICJ ruling from 2024 on the illegality of Israel’s occupation. - Hold complicit corporations, like Belgian-Israeli airline Challenge and US shipping company UPS, that are involved in the illegal military transfers to Israel to account.

UPS caught shipping military cargo to Israel in a scandalous attempt to evade export controls in Belgium. Belgian authorities stopped the military materiel en route for Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. Pressure works! Escalate BDS campaigns now.