Resolution 49: Palestine and the Middle East

 (Composite resolution based on Draft Resolutions No. 40, No. 41, No. 43
and the Amendment No. 15 to Resolution No. 40)

The 29^th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI),
meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

 NOTING THAT

• PSI supports the belief that only when a sovereign, independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestinian state is created, living side by side with a secure Israel; there will be a chance for peace and stability in the Middle East.
• Essential to the long-term solution for peace is organised workers resistance and Congress resolves to continue to build links with both Palestinian and Israeli workers organisations supporting equality human rights and international law, stressing the need to take collective action and recognise their common interests to build unity and peace.
• PSI condemns all forms of injustice in breach of international law, but believes that the occupation of the West Bank, blockade of Gaza and existence of illegal Israeli settlements prolongs instability and violence in the region.
• Congress believes that the end of the isolation of Gaza would be an important step towards resolving the conflict and calls on the lifting of the blockage on Gaza and for Israel to end the occupation of the West Bank and to remove the settlements.

FURTHER NOTING THAT the annexation of massive swathes of land by Israel in defiance of international law, using walls and checkpoints and destroying Palestinian homes in the process is a deliberate strategy to undermine the viability of the West Bank and thereby the potential for an independent Palestinian state.

Therefore ENDORSES the call from the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions for the international trade union movement to support the bid, launched by the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, for the immediate recognition of Palestinian statehood by the United Nations.

INSTRUCTS PSI to: 

• Endorse PGFTU call for recognition of Palestinian statehood.
• Work with other Global Union Federations to develop campaign aimed at persuading companies, who are complicit in the occupation to withdraw from any economic activity in the illegal settlements and industrial zones in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
• Work to expose and end the exploitation of Palestinian workers in the settlements and industrial zones.
• Call on the trade union movement worldwide to do whatever possible to influence and put pressure on the Israeli government in order to respect and comply with UN resolutions and to end the illegal occupation and settlements of Palestinian land and exploitation of Palestinian natural resources.
• Commit resources to help build democratic trade unions throughout Palestine and the sub-region as a whole, and to facilitate contacts between Palestinian trade unionists and their sisters and brothers in other countries, so as to provide opportunities for education and the extension of effective solidarity action.

CALLS UPON affiliates to: 

• Endorse the PGFTU call for recognition of Palestinian statehood and to lobby their national governments likewise.
• Make representations to their governments and the international community to secure lasting peace through a negotiated settlement based on mutual respect and self-determination, on justice for Palestinians and on security for Israel.
• Increase the pressure to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories and the removal of the separation wall and the illegal settlements, by campaigning for disinvestment by companies associated with the occupation as well as engaged in illegal settlements and the separation wall, by enforcing the application of international law which prohibits the exportation of products which come from the settlements.
• Call on the governments of the Member States of the European Union to apply European legislation concerning traceability of products.
• Act, within the framework of corporate social responsibility, with the salaried staff of the enterprises concerned so that they cease all activity in the illegal settlements or linked to the illegal settlements.
• Put pressure on enterprises established in Israel and on the Israeli government to respect decent work for all, in accordance with the eight core conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and as specified in the conclusions of the final resolution of the Rio +20 Conference.

 See all Congress resolutions including the Program of Action and the Constitution.