CUPW Passes Historic Boycott Resolution Against Israeli Apartheid

At its April national convention, held in Ottawa from April 13-17, the Canadian Union of Postal Works (CUPW) became the first national union in North American to pass a resolution against Israeli apartheid.

Resolution 338/339 reiterates CUPW’s existing stand that Israel immediately end all military assaults as well as calling for the end to suicide bombings, military assaults and other acts of violence that take the lives of civilians. The resolution goes further than CUPW ever has in condemning Israeli apartheid, through supporting the global campaign of boycotts, divestments and sanctions (BDS) against Israeli apartheid. (Modern Communism is reprinting the text of the resolution below). The resolution was passed after almost an hour of debate with near unanimous support, and CUPW has refused to soften its stand despite a national campaign of pressure and intimidation organized by pro-Israeli Zionist groups.

Modern Communism salutes CUPW for the stand it has taken against Israeli apartheid, a stand consistent with the spirit of international working class solidarity in opposition to all forms of colonialism, genocide and imperialist aggression.

Resolution 338/339

CUPW will:

· Continue to demand that Israel immediately end all military assaults and abide completely by the most recent and unanimous Security Council resolution calling on them to do so.

· Call for and actively work towards an end to the suicide bombings, military assaults and other acts of violence that take the lives of innocent people and demand that the Israeli-West Bank barrier be immediately torn down.

· Demand that the Israeli government immediately withdraw from the occupied territories and abide by UN Resolution 242.

· Call on the Canadian government to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians that have been affected by the ongoing conflict.

· Support the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel meets its obligations to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law including the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes as stipulated in UN resolution 194.

· With Palestine solidarity and human rights organizations, develop an education campaign about the apartheid nature of the Israeli state and the political and economic support of Canada for these practices.

· Commit to research into Canadian involvement in the occupation and call on other Canadian unions to join us in lobbying against the apartheid like practices of the Israeli state and call for immediate dismantling of the wall.

We want to do this for these reasons:

BECAUSE no lasting peace can be created unless there is implementation of international law, United Nations resolutions and respect for the human rights of both Palestinians and Jewish-Israelis equally;

BECAUSE 35 years ago, the United Nations Security Council unanimously called for Israel to withdraw from territories it invaded in 1967 (West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem) in resolution 242;

BECAUSE Israel has refused to implement resolution 242 for 40 years and, moreover, has illegally established Jewish-only settlements in these areas in further violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention;

BECAUSE the Israeli Apartheid Wall has been condemned and determined illegal under international law;

BECAUSE over 170 Palestinian political parties, unions and other organizations including the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions issued a call in July 2005 for a global campaign of boycotts and divestment against Israel similar to those imposed against South African apartheid;

BECAUSE the barrier severely restricts the movement of and work possibilities for Palestinians, violates international law, is partially built on land confiscated from Palestinians and is not a way to create lasting peace and security;

BECAUSE CUPW has a constitutional policy in favour of peace and disarmament and has consistently worked within the Canadian labour movement to pressure the Canadian government to promote peaceful solutions in the face of war;

BECAUSE the Canadian government cut funding for the Palestinian Authority after Hamas was democratically elected.

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