The second-largest trade union in Britain has criticized UK government legislation prohibiting institutions from boycotting goods made in occupied territories and stated its support for pro-Palestine Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movements against the Israeli government.
Unite, one of 15 trade unions affiliated with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and representing 1.2 million British workers, passed three motions supporting BDS at its conference on Friday. The motions demanded that the government repeal the Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) legislation, which prohibits public bodies from launching their own boycott campaigns that specifically mention the Israeli regime and the occupied territories.
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The relevant motion stated that the bill “seeks to limit public bodies’ ability to make ethical decisions about spending and investment that reflect broad public support for human rights, climate goals, and international law.”
The motion also emphasized Unite’s backing of BDS campaigns against businesses linked to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
The union also committed during the conference to encourage its members to support the Right to Boycott campaign and sign a petition opposing the government bill.
The unanimous support of Unite’s members for motions affirming support for BDS is crucial, according to PSC Director Ben Jamal, at a time when the government’s anti-boycott bill aims to undermine the legitimacy of the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS).
He continued, “United has made clear that it will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinian people and reject all efforts to delegitimize their struggle for liberation.
PSC further noted that the legislation would “protect companies engaged in human rights abuse or environmental destruction by prohibiting public bodies from cutting financial ties with them over abusive or illegal actions committed in a foreign state unless expressly permitted to do so by the government.”
Another motion adopted at the conference called for the British government to renounce its free-trade agreement with the occupying force and reaffirmed the union’s recognition of the Israeli regime as engaging in apartheid.
The conference’s final motion addressed the Israeli military’s designation of six Palestinian civil society and human rights organizations as “terrorist” groups.
The conference emphasized that the targeted organizations “provide services and support to women, children, farmers, and prisoners, and collectively support thousands of Palestinians,” adding that this is a “direct assault in an effort to isolate and restrict human rights defenders.”
Unite urged the Israeli government to retract its “spurious” claims and the UK government to reiterate its support for Palestinian civil society.
Over 170 Palestinian organizations advocating for “various forms of boycott against Israel until it meets its obligations under international law” launched the BDS movement in 2005. It is modeled after the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.”
Since then, thousands of volunteers from all over the world have joined the BDS movement, which urges individuals and organizations to sever all ties with Tel Aviv in order to support the Palestinian cause.
Pro-Israel organizations have referred to the movement as “an existential threat” because it has effectively hurt the Tel Aviv government’s economy.”
