The deliberate targeting and killing of seven Western aid workers, has opened the eyes of many to the absolute brutality of the Israeli war machine. They have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 200 aid workers and over 100 academics. The fact that most of the victims have been women and children is just one indication of the genocidal intent of the Israelis.
Famine is now the reality for a growing number living in Gaza as Israel blocks aid as part of its collective punishment of Palestinians. These shocking developments are accompanied by a series of events that includes the attack on the Al-Shifa hospital which has been left in complete ruins; the banning of journalists, as the Israelis try to block news of their war crimes from reaching the world. In recent weeks the headquarters of Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) which operated as a bakery and nursery were bombed by Israeli occupation forces.
Palestinian trade unions have called for an end to the manufacture and transportation of arms to Israel since the outset of the recent phase of the conflict. The demand to stop arming Israel is now becoming much more central to the movement in Britain. Consequently, pressure is growing for an economic embargo and the cancellation of all arms sales to Israel.
A growing number of Unite members in the Aerospace and Shipbuilding (A&S) sector are raising concerns and objections about the continued arming of a state that’s accused of genocide with pressure growing on governments and corporations who could also be complicit in the Israeli genocide.
The solidarity movement is learning from its mistakes. Most protestors now try to appeal to workers by seeing them as allies. This is a huge step forward. The challenge for reps in the factories is to work out how best they can show solidarity and deliver action to end the genocide. Ultimately, developing a vision beyond arms production would be the best way to guarantee that our skills are not used in pursuit of war crimes and are used in ways that benefit society. In the meantime, finding ways to halt F35 work has to be a priority.