Islam Times - Unionists should boycott Israeli goods

The TUC Congress in Liverpool is set to discuss a motion which says trade unionists should be encouraged to boycott Israeli goods, especially agricultural products.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has submitted a motion to the conference which also demands an end to all arms trading with Israel.

The motion condemns the Israeli government's offensive in Gaza earlier this year and calls for a ban on the importing of goods produced in ``illegal'' Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.

The FBU motion, expected to be debated on the final day of the conference today, has already caused controversy.
A meeting of the TUC's general council to consider whether to support the boycott call ended in acrimony on Tuesday, with one union leader using abusive language against a TUC official.

The GMB union has put forward an amendment which seeks to water down the FBU motion.

GMB leader Paul Kenny described the FBU's call as ``incredibly divisive''.

Mick Shaw, president of the FBU, said Palestinian trade unionists wanted to see international pressure applied on Israel, adding: ``One of the most effective ways is boycott - which means an end to the arms trade and sale of settlement goods, suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement, and a targeted consumer boycott.''

Hugh Lanning, chairman of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: ``The trade union movement has a responsibility to increase the pressure on Israel in order to bring peace and justice to the region - this includes a targeted, consumer boycott of Israeli goods.''