As the Palestinian workers at Sal’it Quarry in the occupied West Bank enter their second month of strike over an unsigned collective agreement, solidarity messages from Australia, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Italy arrive to the Israeli trade union, WAC-Ma’an, looking after their case.

The Palestinian sports community in Gaza launched a campaign – Red Card Israeli Apartheid – calling on UEFA to reverse its decision to host its 2013 Under-21 tournament in Israel.  Three Palestinian football players were killed and the Rafah National Stadium destroyed in the 2008-2009 Israeli invasion of Gaza; and there are innumerable instances of Palestinian sportspeople being unable to travel to international competitions due to Israeli travel restrictions. “Gaza is still in ruins following the 2008-09 massacre and is the largest open air prison in the world as a result of the deadly and medieval siege imposed on it by Israel. By allowing Israel to host the 2013 under-21 tournament, UEFA is creating the impression that Israel is a country like any other and giving it the confidence to commit further atrocities,” added Haidar Eid, coordinator of the Red Card Israeli Apartheid campaign.

In other news this past month, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Delegates Conference passed a number of motions in support of the Palestinian people and condemning the sabotage of the Irish aid ship to Gaza.  The new Egyptian trade union federation resolved to support the Palestinian BDS call.  COSATU (South Africa) and Labour for Palestine (USA) issued strong statements supporting the new Palestinian campaign for comprehensive military sanctions against Israel.  All these articles available on the AUSPalestine NEWS page.