SAMWU would like to endorse the protest action being taken in Johannesburg, outside the Israeli Trade and Tourist Offices in Rosebank at 1pm today, by the Palestine Solidarity Committee.
Inside Israel, police contingents have killed nine and wounded hundreds of Palestinian citizens of Israel in northern towns like Nazareth and Umm al-Fahm. In Jerusalem, the mass arrest campaign has resulted in a total of over 350 Palestinians arrested, according to reports from various human rights organizations and the Orient House.
South African workers have experienced the very same decades of similar oppression and brutality under the apartheid regime, out of which Israel benefitted enormously. The latest attempts to force the Palestinians to accept an imposed agreement are leading inexorably towards an apartheid-like domination of Israel over a Palestinian bantustan.
SAMWU's sister union in Egypt, the General Trade Union of Administrative and Social Services Workers, has fiercely condemned the intensification of violence in the Middle East. This violence is impacting more and more on Palestinian workers, who already face massive discrimination.
The Workers Advice Centre in Nazareth has documented the plight of growing numbers jobless Palestinian workers who are forced to use the street corners as an employment bureau where they stand around hoping for a day's casual labour. The research shows that Israeli employers only pick up Gazan workers who have permits, and Israel grants permits only to those who already have work. This discriminatory practice has led to massive corruption where work permits must be bought by the unemployed Palestinians from Israeli agents for large sums of money. Even temporary jobs at $5 per day only go to people with family connections. This discrimination follows on Israel's opening of its gates to 250 000 workers from Thailand, Romania, Jordan and Egypt who were seen as a more reliable labour force than the troublesome Palestinians. This gesture led to massive abuse of workers in sweatshops and increased the problem of joblessness amongs Palestinians.
The union believes that all progressive organisations should share the outrage expressed internationally by the murder of Palestinian children and workers. For comment call Phinda Mhlongo, International Officer, on 011 333 1582 or 333 1630.