UNISON's skewed Gaza focus

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UNISON's National Executive Council sent 'very deep condolences to the families of the dead', but made no mention of the israeli marines being attacked on arrival on the Mavi-Marmara by militants. According to Andre Abu Khalil of Al Jazeera TV the israelis armed only with anti-riot weapons were ambushed with a number of them being bludgeoned to a pulp and dragged below decks as hostages before a second wave of marines stormed aboard to rescue them. That was when the fatalities occurred amongst the islamist militants. All of those who died took part in the attack on the israeli marines. 

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, in addition to expressing outrage against the israelis might note that Hamas, an offshoot of the moslem bortherhood is waging a constant war against Israel. Hamas is further implicated in islamist efforts to undermine its other neighbour Egypt, and in its charter calls for the murder of jews everywhere. Hamas is responsible for indiscriminate bus bombings and rocket attacks against the israeli civilian population. Only this week Hamas allowed a group of terrorists to infiltrate Israel and fired rockets at the town of Sderot. All of this passes without comment by UNISON.

UNISON ignores the fact that the israeli marines boarded five other ships of the convoy peacefully (the ships were mostly carrying the same goods that Israel allows into Gaza every day through its border crossings)  The peaceful boarding of the 'Rachel Corrie'

Out of the six ships boarded by Israel violence only broke out on the turkish Mavi-Marmara. From the videos of preparations and statements on the Mavi-Marmara by the head of the jihadist charity IHH Bülent Yildirim it is obvious that the islamist jihadists activists on board trained for violence, sought and instigated it and were even encouraged to become 'martyrs'. One of the 'civilians' on the Mavi-Marmara states his wish to be a shahid (martyr) in the coming violence

Why does UNISON in its statement condemning Israel not find itself able to condemn the inclusion of violent extremists amongst the mainly peaceful activists?

UNISON does not mention the fact that Egypt has also sealed its border with the Gaza strip for fear that Hamas's violent methods will spill over into its territory. Why does UNISON only condemn Israel for the closure of the Gaza strip when two countries are involved in this closure and when the overwhleming mass of aid flows through Israel?

UNISON calls for an end to Israel's controls on imports of construction materials such as metals, metal pipes and cement without mentioning that these are used by Hamas to build bunkers and rockets and mortars (12,500 fired at Israel since 2002). In the past these rockets were only capable of reaching Israel's border communities but Hamas through its sponsorship and training by Iran is constantly increasing the range of these rockets. In 2009 a number of rockets caused mayhem when they reached major israeli cities, with some now believed to be capable of hitting Tel-Aviv (that Israel sends humanitarian aid daily into Gaza should be contrasted with Britain's 1,000 bomber raids directed only at civilian targets in response to German bombing of its cities).

UNISON might also reflect on why it constantly singles out israel for condemnation when there are a myriad of conflicts to choose from, where unlike Israel the stronger side doesn't send aid in to feed an enemy population. Maybe UNISON will spare a thought for Darfur (Israel has absorbed hundreds of refugees from Darfur), for the Georgians ethnically cleansed from Abkhazia and South Ossetia or for the 20,000 Tamils butchered on a beach

That the flotilla was still in international waters is irrelevant as to its intentions. Britain and other countries regularly inspect ships in such a manner. For example the HMS Iron Duke recently seized a drug smugglers' boat in international waters off the north coast of Colombia, sinking it with gunfire.

When Israel agreed to deliver all the aid after inspection the convoy should have simply sailed into Ashdod port. All the aid was in any case delivered to Gaza afterwards, although there are reports that Hamas refused to accept it! Maybe the Gazans don't need out of date medicines ?

The same UNISON that is always ready to join in the chorus condemning Israel refuses to even allow a stall at its annual conference for TUFI an organisation that seeks to bring Israeli and Palestinian unionists together.

The UNISON executive is determined to stifle debate, afraid that UNISON delegates might have access to TUFI that advocates co-existence and offers possibilities of peaceful solutions to the Palestine-Israel conflict that are just to both sides.

Only by talking and debating with all sides in a conflict is there a possibility to resolve conflict. Unionists of all people should understand this simple fact.

UNISON's castigating Israel at every opportunity, its denial of the possibilities of debate, of TUFI to even have a stall at its annual conference, its effective calling for the destruction of Israel and the sponsoring of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, an organisation that similarly denies Israel's right to exist means UNISON excludes itself from being part of the solution to the Palestine - Israel conflict.

Why British trade unionists are taking up the cause of radical islamists is beyond me. They are protecting islamist fascists who when they have power trample upon all the freedoms that we in the west take for granted, such the right of labour to organise. Needless to say Israel has all of the freedoms that the fascist Hamas in Gaza tries to suppress amongst its own people. Socialists must support workers in Israel and Palestine alike. Rather than always cheer the antics of activists who bring about strife between israelis and palestinians, British unions must demand that union freedoms also be extended to palestinian workers in Gaza and the West Bank.

That the Israeli Histadrut trains, supports and even funds Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) should be welcomed and even supported by unions in the UK.

Some links that put the Gaza convoy into context:

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