Basque trade unions BDS manifesto on 5th anniversary of BDS call
On 9 July 2010, the fifth anniversary of the civil society BDS call, an alliance of Basque trade unions and organisations has issued a BDS manifesto.
The text of the manifesto reads:
Background: Israeli colonial
occupation of Palestine and the Global Campaign for Boycott, Divestment
and Sanctions
In the words of Nelson Mandela, to justice for the Palestinian people
has become “the greatest moral case of our time.” Israel’s brutal siege
of Gaza represents today the most critical and urgent of all Israeli
injustices against the Palestinian people that is manifested in the
form of countless violations of Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law.
Palestinian civil society, through the Palestinian National Committee
(PNC) of the campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions has called
on all people of conscience and civil society organizations worldwide
to promote the BDS campaign against Israel. Inspired by the boycott
campaign against apartheid South Africa, this initiative is considered
the most effective means of ending colonial occupation and apartheid in
Palestine and take Israel with its responsibility under international
law in seeking a just peace.
The BDS campaign is a peaceful initiative led since 2005 by civil
society organizations, political parties and trade unions representing
the Palestinian people, and is supported by a worldwide network of
entities that make up the movement of solidarity with the Palestinian
people.
BDS Campaign Calls for Global Action to establish measures to
pressure Israel and to prevent economic, political and business
relations with a state that violates international law and violates the
UN resolutions. This civic initiative is most needed, and if possible
approach the European Union and its member states who remain
indifferent to the repeated violation of human rights, civic and
political rights of the Arab population of Palestine.
Therefore, the BDS campaign demand the world to boycott Israel, its
institutions and enterprises, and also to withdraw their investments in
companies that benefit from the occupation or denial of the rights of
the refugee population.
Preamble
Given the call by the NPC to commemorate the July 9, 2010, the fifth
anniversary of the founding of the movement of BDS and the sixth
anniversary of the ruling of the International Court of Justice which
provides that Israel must dismantle its illegal wall and its colonial
occupation regime in Palestine.
Since all forms of international intervention so far have failed in
their attempt to make Israel comply with the international law or to
put an end to the repression on the Palestinians; the repression that
manifests itself in many different ways (sieges, indiscriminate
killings, willful destruction and the racist colonial wall, …etc.).
On the basis of unity between the trade unions with regard to Basque
solidarity with the Palestinian people, a fact that has manifested
itself in calls unit as the manifestation of January 24, 2009 to
denounce the Israeli attack on Gaza and concentration 3 June 2010 to
reprimand military cooperation and arms of the Spanish State with the
Israeli army.
Statement of support
In agreement with
the tradition of Basque trade unions struggle for justice, equality
and human rights by means of this document ELA Basque trade
unions, CCOO, LAB, UGT, ESK, STEE, HIRU, EHNE, CGT, USO LSB-USO make
public their commitment to the Campaign BDS (Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions) against the State of Israel, and agree not to collaborate
with the policy of apartheid in Palestine and the illegal occupation in
their territories.
Also, the Basque unions agreed to denounce publicly all those
Basque institutions and companies that give a priority to their
economic and political interests at the expense of the rights of the
Palestinian people, or those work or legitimize the colonial
occupation of Palestine.
Basque trade
unions have decided to join this campaign because it relies on the
defense of human rights as universal, indivisible and interdependent
(Article 30 of its statement) and it is a civil means to change
situations of injustice and institutional violence and move toward
justice and peace.
Considered as a
legitimate tool, the Global Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions against the State of Israel will continue until Israel
complies with international law as it should in respect of:
- Ending of the
military occupation of Palestine. - Paralysis and
destruction of the Wall in West Bank. - Ending the
system of racial discrimination. - Total and
definitive lifting of the blockade on Gaza. - Recognition of
the right of return for refugees.
