First seminar session was “Justice for Palestinians”. Sarah Colborne spoke of behalf of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PCS). While from another perspective Paul Ussiskin (picture) was a speaker from “Peace Now”. Paul is a British Jew and former member of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) who had actually served in the West Bank.Paul agrees with the recent UNISON conference composite that there should be a boycott of goods and services produced in the occupied West Bank. He does not support the PCS view that there should be a total boycott of Israeli. He believes that such a total boycott will just serve right wing nationalist interests and encourage a “Fortress Israel” mentality. Paul has been attacked by other Jews because of his support for an independent Palestine. He also understands people who hate Israel and while he believes that is their right: if people hate he cannot have any dialogue with them. Change can only come about by dialogue. He explained that USA Jews are very influential in Israel while those in Europe are not. Many Israeli simply don’t understand why Jews still choose to live in Europe. However, there is now a new generation of American Jews who question the traditional Jewish lobby position of supporting “Israel right or wrong”. He is more optimistic for the future.
In the Q&A Sarah pointed out that while PCS was very disappointed with the current Labour government they had done research with Tories candidates and found them even more hostile towards Palestine than even previous Tory Parliamentary candidates.
UNISON International Officer Nick Crook spoke next on Palestine – the trade union perspective. He spoke about implementing the UNISON conference decision on Palestine and the partial boycott. UNISON is to issue advice about what pension funds can or cannot legally do. As a member nominated representative in the Local Government Pension Scheme I look forward to this advice. However, I am pretty sure that it will fall short of what some people want. The key issue will be the “threat” to a fund from having investments in the “illegal” occupied settlements in the West Bank.
(I try and post on other sessions during the week)
8 comments:
John
Who else were the speakers?
Was there any speakers against boycotting Israelis and did anyone question how it can often increase anti-Jewish racism and weaken trade unions?
Did anyone argue for *greater* links and proper solidarity with Palestinian trade unionists?
I'd be interested to know either way.
Hi Modernity
These were the only speakers on Palestine. It is UNISON policy (and the TUC-ish) to support a partial boycott of goods and investment in the West Bank settlements. I don’t think there were any questions to speakers about opposing the boycott or that it might increase anti-Jewish racism but Paul did discuss this possibility if there was a total boycott.
Yes, there were calls for better links and support with Palestinian Trade unions.
There was no straw poll but I think that there was pretty solid support for a meaningful and viable 2 state solution and a clear condemnation of both Israeli and Hamas attacks on civilians.
Thanks for the swift reply, John.
"I don’t think there were any questions to speakers about opposing the boycott or that it might increase anti-Jewish racism but Paul did discuss this possibility if there was a total boycott."
John, has anyone in Unison actually troubled to read the history of boycotts and Jews, and taken the time to ponder how it is seen from the other side?
The very topic of boycotting of Jews is loaded with racial imagery, and whilst I'm sure that no one in Unison brought this forward because they were antagonistic towards Jews, it seems as if many are oblivious to the background to boycotts of Jews in history, and how they are seen.
It is surprising that no one has troubled to think about how anti-Jewish racism might be invoked or increased by a boycott of Israelis.
Were Unison to take a critical and considered look at the shenanigans in UCU then I'm sure they would see why this topic these so sensitive and deserving of a balanced view.
I think the problem is that many people, erroneously, feel that they have to be anti Israeli to be pro-Palestinian, nothing could be further from the truth.
As for the actual motions, John, you know as well as I do that they had been shoehorned through, without reference to the members (an old technique you will remember often used by Stalinists or Trots), and it does the British trade union movement no good to use bureaucratic methods to bring about such a policy.
I could go on at length but I would suggest studying the failed boycotts in AUT and UCU, they offer many lessons on how not to conduct trade unionism, as UCU has been seriously weakened by the shenanigans pushed by the SWP and others in this area.
Hi Modernity
I think most supporters of the partial boycott have thought of the risk that this may increase anti-Jewish racism and are aware of our anti-Semitic history. The boycott should be about those who trade or produce goods in the West Bank settlements not ordinary Israeli or Jews.
I think that it also a product of desperation. Those of us who believe in a viable sovereign 2 state solution despair at the news of the building of further settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The intention I think - rightly or wrongly is to support moderates on all sides and is a pragmatic attempt to clear a blockage and bring about meaningful negotiations and the eventual necessary compromise.
Wishful thinking? Well last night on TV I did see again those pictures of Ian Paisley laughing and joking with Shin Fenn delegates. I never ever thought I would see that.
John,
I am not explaining myself very well, let me try again,
Did you or the other Unison members realize that Jews were boycotted in pre-WW2 Poland?
Do you and other Unison members realize that the current boycott campaigns date back to Khartoum 1967?
Do and others realize that the main pushers of these motions are *not* those that wish peace in the Middle East (see UCU and the SWP) rather those that wish to create antagonism between Jews and Palestinians ?
Whatever the spoken "intention" it sends the wrong message.
It will weaken British trade unionism, not strengthen it.
PS: On the Ireland topic did anyone ever suggest boycotting the Loyalists? NO.
Hi Modernity
Probably not all the details but I think anyone who has wandered around old British towns and cities and have come across the medieval Jewish district and who found out what had happened to its original inhabitants is mindful of our own dark history.
I do think that the UNISON approach has been different than other organisations and let us be honest this is not driven by the Ultra Left (whose leadership do just want to create hatred and strife). While most members of UNISON will not be discussing the future of Palestine while standing around the photocopier tomorrow this issue is important to mainstream activists. Please don’t misunderstand this and just reject it as some sort of trot trick (I’ll be the first to be shouting from the rafters if it was).
The Israel politicos have got themselves into a hole over settlements and just need to stop digging (figurately and literally). How inept can you be to allow Hamas to be portrayed in any sort of a positive light?
I don’t see how it can have any impact on the strength or otherwise of British Trade unionism but I can see that there is a risk to international co-operation and solidarity. But we are where we are – I do think that supporters of Israel do not realise how badly exposed they are over this issue.
PS: I do remember a number of calls by the IRA et al for boycotts by Americans over “British rule”. While they did not achieve anything I think it is accepted that the US court of public opinion was important in bringing about an agreement between former bitter enemies.
The big lesson from this for Israel and its supporters is that British State by being seen willing to talk to terrorists and make compromises actually in the end “won” the War that they could never win by purely military ends.
"…the medieval Jewish district and who found out what had happened to its original inhabitants is mindful of our own dark history."
No John, not in my experience and this is point, racial/offensive imagery varies from ethnic/social group to group, so what is seen as offensive to the Irish might not necessarily strike others as insulting, what is provocative to the young Afro-Caribbeans wouldn't necessarily ring alarm bells with other people (remember "stop and search"?), etc etc
So it is with boycotts and Jews, there is a long history of them, they hold a certain resonance and come over as odious in that historical context.
I have long followed the debate in the AUT/UCU and it is often surprising how those advocating a boycott of Israelis fall into the well of non-conscious racism without even knowing it. I am concerned that the TUC and Unison don't make those same mistakes.
You wrote "I don’t see how it can have any impact on the strength or otherwise of British Trade unionism but I can see that there is a risk to international co-operation and solidarity."
Simple, it will be seen as an offensive gesture, nothing real, nothing meaningful in assisting peace in the Middle East.
Likewise it might convince some Israelis to ask "Why is the TUC/Unison attacking our country and not boycotting the US/UK (for the war in Iraq, Abu Ghraib, the killing of civilians in Afghanistan, etc), or a whole host of other countries (Syria - dictatorship, Saudi Arabia - ditto and funding terrorism, etc), what is their motives?"
The question gets turned around, and British trade unionists then appear not to be very self-aware on these sensitive issues.
On a wider issue, I'd suggest following Engage, and the appalling ramification of pro-boycott activism in AUT/UCU, which meant in the end that Jewish members of the AUT/UCU left in droves.
Combined that with the fact the UCU is considered to be institutionally racist on this matter, then you can see how a comparatively small issue can blow up in the faces of trade unionists.
I don't need to tell you how weak trade unionism is in Britain already, so doesn't need any more problems.
Please don't get me wrong, if the TUC or Unison were to mount a convoy with plenty of positive material and help for the Palestinians I think that would be great, I'm just against the petty demonisation of Israelis and all that follows from that, which is ultimately destructive.
I'll put some good links that might explain my above points, in the next comment.
I hope these links help:
UCL UCU branch secretary Sean Wallis lines up with antisemitic Lehman Brothers conspiracy theorists
http://engageonline.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/ucl-ucu-branch-secretary-sean-wallis-lines-up-with-antisemitic-lehman-brothers-conspiracy-theorists/
Sue Blackwell, Sean Wallis, Josh Robinson and Mira Vogel on the resignations from UCU – on the UCU Activist List
http://www.engageonline.org.uk/blog/article.php?id=2189
Palestine Solidarity Campaign almost unanimously rejects two motions against antisemitism
http://www.engageonline.org.uk/blog/article.php?id=918
On resignation from UCU – Sarah Annes Brown
http://engageonline.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/on-resignation-from-ucu-sarah-annes-brown/
Responding to the Boycott (by Shalom Lappin)
http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2007/06/responding_to_t.html
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