PALESTINE GENERAL FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS - GAZA STRIP
July 31, 2014
Dear brothers and sisters in the labor movement, and all people who are
working hard to build a better future for themselves and for their families
in the United States of America, and those who believe in peace and justice.
As we write this message from Gaza, our families are facing a genocidal war
waged by Israel. The State of Israel is using the most advanced killing
machines made and exported from the United States of America. They are
killing Palestinian children and eliminating entire families. They are
denying the population of Gaza their right to live in peace and dignity.
The Gaza Strip is small space, about 250 square miles, and is home to
approximately 1.8 million people. Before the current massacre, the people of
Gaza were already living in very difficult conditions. Israel imposed a
siege and blockade, and has been controlling the air, sea, and land of Gaza
for more than seven years. This blockade has also included control and
closure of border crossings, and the restriction of movement, including of
sick patients and students.
The trade market, import and export, has been restricted. As a result, we
have witnessed and experienced the destruction of agriculture and the
ongoing annihilation of workers, farmers and fishermen. The extreme levels
of poverty and unemployment have been rising. The people of Gaza have seen a
decline in their health and well-being, including the lack of educational
services and severe shortages in access to healthy food. In addition, Israel
controls the drinking water and electricity, and as result, Gaza has had
outages of water and electricity for up to 12 hours a day. As many scholars,
journalists and human rights activist have noted, "Gaza is the world's
biggest prison."
Under the pretext of the killing of three settlers in the West Bank, with no
of evidence pointing to any Palestinian group, Israel with its racist
right-wing government, started its current offensive war, which has resulted
in more than 1,600 Palestinians killed and more than 6,700 others injured,
mostly serious and severe. Many of those killed were civilians, and more
than one quarter of them were children and women.
In addition, more than 2,000 houses have been completely destroyed and
nearly 3,000 houses have been partially destroyed -- with more than half of
them uninhabitable. This war has displaced more than 400,000 citizens from
their homes. In addition, 95 mosques have been totally demolished, and 10
hospitals have been directly targeted, with one hospital totally destroyed.
Israel is targeting municipal workers, civil defense vehicles and ambulances
-- with more than six paramedics killed. During this war, we have
experienced the attacks on more than 50 headquarters of the police and
security services, 95 schools and educational facilities, and 7 media
offices; many journalists and photographers have been killed. Also, 40
commercial fishing boats have been destroyed. Experts in the Interior
Ministry estimate more than 15,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on
the Gaza Strip. Economists estimate the Gaza Strip losses, as a result of
the aggression, at more than US$3 billion thus far.
Dear friends, it's your turn NOW to take an historic stand and take on the
responsibility to stand by truth and justice and urge immediate action
through the following:
1 - Pressure your government to stop the unjust aggression on our people and
to stop spending money for weapons for occupation that kill us and kill our
children.
2 - Work on a local and national level to urge your elected officials to
stop dealing with the institutions that profit from the occupation and death
of Palestinians.
3 - Educate and build awareness among the labor movements of the U.S. and
urge them to condemn the Israeli aggression and to boycott Israel through
various means, i.e., cultural, educational and commercial exchange with the
occupation, while exposing the crimes of the occupation and its practices.
4 - Reach out and urge the international community through the United
Nations to work by all means to enable the Palestinian people to attain and
exercise their right to self-determination, through the embodiment of the
Palestinian State, which is recognized by the General Assembly with an
overwhelming majority, and to use the means of international law, including
punitive means, to end the occupation of the Palestinian State, and to hold
Israel accountable.
5 - Call upon the United Nations to provide protection for the Palestinians
in the Occupied territories, and to provide safeguards to prevent a repeat
of aggression upon the Palestinian territories, particularly the Gaza Strip.
6 - Urge the United Nations to enforce the Geneva Conventions, and to ensure
that Israel -- as a member State that is a signatory of these agreements,
including the human rights agreements -- complies fully with these
international conventions.
7 - Call on signatory States to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their
obligation to work to ensure the application, and to implements its
jurisdiction to hold war criminals accountable, regardless of the
nationality of the perpetrator and place of commission, to pave the way for
rendering Israeli war criminals accountable, and end the impunity they have
enjoyed for decades.
8 - Urge governments around the world and humanitarian organizations to
declare the Gaza Strip a disaster area that is in need of major
reconstruction and humanitarian aid for urgent relief to the displaced and
affected people.
Finally, we are all confident and hope that you will stand with us to
influence and put pressure on your government and the Israeli government
alike, to stop the criminal aggression on our people. Your actions may help
to save thousands of innocent children, women, youth and elders -- as well
as their dreams of living in security and peace.
SIGNED/ WITH UNION SEAL
Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in
anarchy"
Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni
katika machafuko"
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