Appeal for humanitarian aid in Gaza

BECTU’s NEC has agreed a donation towards humanitarian aid in Gaza.

The union’s senior elected representatives met yesterday (Sunday) and agreed to donate a total of £700 to the TUC and ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions) appeals.

BECTU members, in commom with so many people in the UK, watched with dismay as the conflict in the Middle East erupted once more after Christmas.

News reports stated that the loss of life amongst Palestinians exceeded 1000 in this latest bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces; more than 2000 people were injured; reported loss of life amongst the Israeli population was less than 20 people.

Television pictures confirm that the destruction of homes, schools and businesses in Gaza has been devastating; charities working in the region state that supplies of food, drinking water and medicines are needed urgently and a public appeal for aid was launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) last week.

BECTU’s NEC also agreed to seek further information on the stance of Histradut, the TUC’s equivalent in Israel, to this latest offensive. Questions are being raised by the UK’s trade union movement about Histradut’s response to the current conflict.

Histradut is, like BECTU, affiliated to the international trade union organisation, Union Network International (UNI).

Yesterday’s NEC asked general secretary, Gerry Morrissey, to confer with the NUJ about a joint response to the BBC’s controversial stance on the screening of an appeal by the DEC.

The BBC has drawn criticism across the spectrum for its refusal to screen the appeal on the grounds that doing so would compromise its impartiality.