In the wake of international outcries over the grossly disproportionate Operation “Cast Lead” Israeli invasion of Gaza in 2008/2009, the unlawful killing of the 9 Turkish civilians on the Gaza aid flotilla in May 2010, the unending blockade of the Gaza Strip since June 2007, and relentless construction of illegal Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, workers and unions around the world are throwing their combined weight behind the non-violent Palestinian call to boycott Israel.  Recalling the recent history of the South African anti-apartheid struggle, the strength of workers and unions cannot be underestimated when justice is demanded.

As a new year starts, the AUSPalestine NEWS page reports on a demand for justice from the besieged Palestinians of Gaza: “…enough inaction, enough discussion, enough waiting – the time is now to hold Israel to account for its ongoing crimes against us.” 

Teachers in the Canadian state of Ontario have begun a campaign demanding that their Teachers’ Pension Plan divest from companies that contribute to the system of Israeli apartheid and Israel’s illegal occupation.  This could well serve as a model for Australian workers to inquire about the responsible ethical and moral investment policies of their superannuation funds and make similar divestment demands.  Start making inquiries of your superannuation fund today.

A group of Israeli academics have signed a petition to boycott a university located in the illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel in the occupied  West Bank, unambiguously stating “Ariel is not part of the sovereign state of Israel.”  View the AUSPalestine NEWS page for these recent articles.

The AUSPalestine RESOURCES page has also posted some recently-released reports and resources for our supporters and unionists to access: an Australian-produced guide to the BDS campaign, and an updated report from Kav LaOved on the working conditions for Palestinian workers in the Israeli settlements, titled “Working for Survival”.