SF Labor Council Condemns Israel

A resolution condemning Israel for suppressing "the Palestinian struggle for both statehood and ancestral lands" was recently passed by the San Francisco Labor Council.

The council represents 75,000 San Francisco city and county union members ranging from teachers to sailors to teamsters to office employees. The council is composed of roughly 400 delegates hailing from some 135 unions. The passage of the resolution, which also named the US as "the main culprit" for providing weapons to Israel, elicited shock and disappointment from some members of the Jewish community. The resolution reads in part:

"Whereas, the conflict in Israel and Palestine continues on an insane course destroying lives, property and the future with no end in sight; and

Whereas, the reasons for the continuation of this catastrophe rests in the struggle for control at the expense of the working class and dispossessed; and

Whereas, the US proves to be the main culprit in this struggle by supplying the Israeli State billions of dollars in arms to suppress the Palestinian struggle for both Statehood and ancestral lands while oppressing and dividing the Jewish and Arab worker for the benefit of national and international capital; and

Whereas, the recent escalation of the conflict has seen scores of women, children and other innocents murdered and the 17 February bombing of the headquarters of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) by US-supplied and paid for Israeli F-16 jets that continue to bomb civilian and Palestinian political targets, against US legal restrictions; and

Whereas, these actions by the Israeli military and government have been condemned by such labor groups as the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICFTU), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Worker's Union (ICEM), and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)

Therefore be it hereby Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council condemns the bombing of civilian and political targets most specifically, but not limited to, the Palestinian trade union offices in Nablus, Palestine; and remind the US. Government that this is both a moral and legal crime, and

Be it further Resolved, that this Council calls on the ranks of the PGFTU of Palestine and the Histadrut trade union federation of Israel to launch joint action against both sides' attacks on innocents and civilians and work together to gain control over this horrible situation; and

Be it finally Resolved, that this Resolution be submitted to all of our affiliated bodies State, Nationally and Internationally for study and concurrence so that labor may act jointly in its own defense."

Adopted by the San Francisco Labor Council, March 11, 2001.