The Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), Shaher Saad, praised an international statement issued by more than 52 global and Arab trade union federations demanding an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the lifting of the siege, and full support for the rights of Palestinian workers.
Saad described the statement as a rare solidarity document that expresses the living conscience of the global labor movement, stressing that the ongoing aggression has caused more than 507,000 Palestinian workers to lose their livelihoods, in a humanitarian and economic catastrophe considered one of the widest in decades.
The statement said the destruction in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels, with entire neighborhoods destroyed, and workers killed simply because they were trying to survive. It said that what is happening is not just a war, but a systematic extermination targeting the existence of an entire people.
The statement held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the committed crimes, calling for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, permanent opening of crossings, facilitation of unrestricted humanitarian and medical aid, and a halt to arms exports to Israel.
The statement also condemned the use of siege and starvation as weapons of war, demanding the lifting of restrictions on essential goods, medical supplies, and fuel, compensation for the affected, acceleration of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and the release of all detainees and hostages.
The signatory unions affirmed the necessity of respecting international law and Security Council resolutions, supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and rejecting settlement and annexation policies that undermine peace prospects.
The statement pointed out that workers in the West Bank suffer from escalating settler attacks, land confiscation, discrimination, and daily humiliation, describing this as a form of apartheid and ethnic cleansing practiced without international accountability.
The list of signatories includes major trade unions from different continents.
In conclusion, Saad urged labor unions globally to strengthen their efforts by pressuring governments and broadening international solidarity campaigns in support of the Palestinian people’s rights to life, dignity, and work, ultimately aiming to achieve the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the fulfillment of their right to self-determination.
