Israeli attack on aid flotilla leads TUC to call for inquiry

Unions reacted with horror to the vicious attack by Israel on the flotilla of civilians delivering aid to Gaza, with the TUC calling for an independent inquiry. Meanwhile, the lecturers’ UCU union has taken the dramatic step of severing links with Israel’s trade union movement, Histradut.

The TUC said reports indicated that Israel’s actions, “which we understand took place in international waters, were disproportionate. A full, open and independent enquiry must be carried out into these events”.

Delegates to the UCU annual congress, which was meeting as the assault took place, had already voted to sever all relations with the Histradut because of the organisation’s support of last year’s attack on Gaza. It urged other trade unions and bodies to follow suit.

General union Unite, meeting at its first policy conference in the days following the latest assault, unanimously passed a motion to boycott Israeli companies. It demanded that the union “vigorously promote a policy of divestment from Israeli companies”, while a boycott of Israeli goods and services will be “similar to the boycott of South African goods during the era of apartheid”. However, Unite agreed to keep solidarity links with Histradut.