NEHAWU Statement on the attack on Palestine by apartheid Israel

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) joins millions of people in South Africa, the African Continent and, indeed, around the World in condemning the barbaric and savage Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people.

However, NEHAWU, is of the firm opinion that condemnation is simply not enough to stop the Apartheid Israel regime, backed by the United States of America (USA). Our disgust at the Israeli killing of Palestinian must and should move beyond words into action.

In the last four days alone Israel has killed over 100 Palestinian civilians including 27 children. These 100 Palestinians cannot be reduced to mere statistics. Israel has killed 100 human beings with stories, friends, families and dreams. We must name the dead, we must rise in their names and we must practically mobilise to hold Israel accountable.

Israel's regime of apartheid and occupation is bound up in human rights violations, this is not only a view held by NEHAWU but by various human rights organisations, the United Nations (UN) and all peace loving peoples of the world.

NEHAWU, which has been mandated by its members in our various congresses, has been in emergency constellations with fraternal organisations on how to ramp up our efforts in lobbying the South African government for firmer action both locally in South Africa as well as on the urgent need for our government to escalate matters within the United Nations and other international forums. The UN must establish the UN Committee against Apartheid with haste and empower that body to hold Israel accountable for its murder and oppression.

NEHAWU will also be engaging our partners in the global trade union movement especially the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) and its component the Trade Union International Public Service and Allied (TUI PS & A) in particular on ways that workers can actively and practically contribute to worldwide protest against Israel and how to further isolate that regime.

NEHAWU reiterates its solidarity with the heroic people of Palestine. Palestine is us and we are Palestine!!!

Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat