On November 29th, SWU marks the 47th International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
On this day of observance we specifically remember that over 69,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the conflict in Gaza and the West Bank over the last two years, and that many thousands more have been injured and orphaned. This year’s observance takes place during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic with hundreds of thousands facing extreme hunger and famine. The World Food Programme reported that the quantity of aid allowed into Gaza is severely limited and that only half the needed amount of food is coming in. An umbrella group of Palestinian agencies have said that overall aid volumes were between a quarter and a third of the expected amount. The UN estimates about 1 million people in Gaza, out of a total population of 2.1 million, are still living in makeshift sites after being forcibly displaced and are facing increasingly difficult conditions as winter approaches.
As social workers we continue to call for lasting peace and safety for people in Palestine, Israel, and neighbouring countries in the Middle East. We continue to call on the UK government to exercise its leadership role and demand that the Israeli government comply with its international obligation to protect civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and other occupied areas in the region.
The Social Workers Union (SWU) delivered a “Solidarity with Palestine” motion this year at the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) 106th Biennial General Council Meeting which was received extremely well with a standing ovation and backed unanimously by conference. The motion focused on five key asks:
- To call on the British government to end their complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people;
- To call for an immediate end to arms sales to Israel;
- To support the targeted boycott of Israel called by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement in order to put political pressure on Israel to end the occupation;
- To support workers in their solidarity with the people of Palestine and campaigning for freedom, equality, and justice for Palestine; and
- To reaffirm our commitment and affiliation to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
SWU is an affiliate of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and supports the important work they do in the UK movement for justice and equality for the people of Palestine, including through their partnership with child rights organization Defence for Children International – Palestine (DCIP).
