Israel, Palestine and Apartheid: the case for boycott and sanctions - Anti-Apartheid Anti-Zionist UK Join a renowned panel of international speakers from South Africa and Palestine to find out more about BDS and what lessons can be learned from the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa. Organised by the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP), Scottish Trades Union Council. *Supported by War on Want; Palestine Solidarity Campaign + Scottish PSC. Speakers include: Ronnie Kasrils - former minister in Nelson Mandela's ANC government in South Africa & anti-Apartheid activist Omar Barghouti - Founding member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) Bongani Masuku - International Secretary COSATU - the South African trade union confederation Contributions from: George Mahlangu - Campaigns Officer, COSATU Prof Steven Rose - Biologist, Open University, and founder member of BRICUP Tom Hickey - National Executive Commi...

A useful roundup of the boycott divestment and sanctions (BDS) motions and positions passed by British trade unions at recent union conferences can be found at Electronic Intifada . The civil servants union the PCS, the University and Colleges Union and Fire Brigades Union have all passed strong motions. Unions such as public sector union UNISON, the National Union of Teachers, USDAW and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have this summer passed softer motions calling for elements of BDS. These are usually calls for a boycott of settlement goods, or for the government to suspend arms sales to Israel. The CWU and others have condemned the infamous 13 January 2008 statement of the Israeli trade union federation in support of Israel's invasion of Gaza, which read: "The Histadrut recognizes the urgent need for the State of Israel to operate against the command and control centers of the organizational terror network ..." more

The University and College lecturers' Union (UCU) voted overwhelmingly at its annual conference to boycott Israel. Unfortunately, no sooner had the vote been taken the ational Exective ruled that it could not be implemented because it was illegal. What unbelievable cowardice on the part of this union's leadership (not its membership): Lecturers voted overwhelmingly to boycott Israeli universities and colleges today. Delegates said Israeli academics were complicit in their government's acts against Palestinians. But as soon as the vote was carried, the leadership of the University and College Union declared it void. Lawyers had advised the union to rule the vote null and void if passed, to avoid legal action against the union. The union's general secretary, Sally Hunt, said she "formally and personally commended" having the debate. The lecturers voted for a "boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign" against Israeli institutions in protest against...

As members of the University and College Union National Executive Committee, we would like to send solidarity greetings to the students in the 17 universities who have occupied their universities in protest over the Gaza crisis. This is the largest wave of occupations for over a quarter of a century. Too often, the media seek to portray this generation of students as ones who do not share the aspirations of the 1968 generation – and deride you as, “Generation Apathy”. Your actions have decisively dispelled this myth. Your demands to secure disinvestment by universities from companies involved in selling arms to Israel and free scholarships for students from Gaza show your humanity. You speak for the millions of young people throughout the world who are sick and tired of war and injustice, who simply desire a world in which the young grow up not knowing what it is like to kill and maim. You are an inspiration to us all and we wish you every success and call upon all those who want a mor...