Young members of UNITE move resolution on Palestine

By Steve McKenzie, Unite Community member

Resolution number 44 on the agenda of the Unite policy conference (beginning next week) is from the National Young Members Committee. It raises the important issue of Palestinian rights. The following is the text of the resolution.

Increased Violence against the Palestinians in the Apartheid Israeli State 

Conference notes:  

• the upsurge in oppression, violence and ethnic cleansing with impunity by the Israeli state and settlers against the Palestinians.

• the potential for further extreme violence and ethnic cleansing with the election a new Netanyahu government, which contains politicians who believe in a policy of removal of the Palestinians to Jordan, and a shoot to kill policy rather than the arrest of those who resist.

• the important reports by B’Tselem, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the UN Special Rapporteur that were published in 2021 and 2022 that clearly found Israel as practising the crime of apartheid;

• the increase in Israel’s targeting of young people with schools being attacked and young people being murdered by the Israeli military and police, including 16-year-old Jana Zakarneh and the point blank execution of Ammar Mefleh;

• the reports of UNICEF, Save the Children and PSC on the systematic detention of Palestinian children and their incarceration in inhumane conditions;

• the attacks on and criminalisation of 6 human rights organisations;  

• the murder by Israeli military of journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh and the attacks on her 

funeral;  

• the UK government’s support for the apartheid Israeli state including: 

o Voting against the Palestinian bid for an advisory opinion from the 

International Court of Justice on Israel’s occupation at the United Nations. 

o Seeking a free trade agreement with Israel  

o Plans to enact anti BDS legislation

• the British Labour Party increasingly closing the space for support for Palestine and 

the refusal of the Labour Party leadership to honour the motion passed in 2021 

identifying Israel as practicing the crime of apartheid;  

• the Irish government last year unanimously declared that Israeli settlements in the 

Palestinian territories amount to de facto annexation. 

• the important work of Unite has done in highlighting the situation that faces the 

Palestinians and leading the movement in advocating for them within Ireland and 

the UK, and within the global and European federations that Unite affiliates to.  

Conference therefore call on Unite to; 

• Identify Israel as practicing the crime of apartheid under international law and speak 

out publicly against this system as well as the illegal occupation and ethnic cleansing; 

• Publicly support BDS campaigns against companies complicit in the illegal occupation of Palestine, and support the coalition of organisations against this legislation; 

• Reaffirm and clarify the policy of suspension of any bilateral relations with Histradut 

given that organisation’s policy on the occupation and support for military actions by 

the Israeli state, until such time they publicly denounce apartheid and occupation;  

• Oppose Ireland and the UK government’s free trade agreement with Israel, and with 

all countries that abuse human and labour rights and those that invade, occupy and 

ethnically cleanse; 

• Educate Unite members on Unite’s policy on Palestine, including specific sessions for 

sectors that have counterparts Palestine, as well as for young members; 

• Ensure that Unite activists take part in delegations to Palestine; 

• To work within the global and European federations to advocate for the Palestinians 

and ensure these federations become more progressive on Palestine;  

• Continue to affiliate, take an active role in and fully support the work of PSC, IPSC 

and Labour & Palestine.