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The Morning Star reports on five transport unions in Belgium refusing to handle arms shipments destined for Israel. They say that loading and unloading them would mean contributing to the killing of innocent civilians. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/belgian-transport-workers-boycott-israeli-military-shipments While others continue to wring their hands in despair at the failure to call a cease fire and a group of world leaders condoning the continuing devastation of Gaza leading to mounting deaths and misery for a long suffering population, a group of Belgian trades unions have declared enough is enough and demonstrate to the unions world wide that action can be taken. Furthermore such action has been shown to be extremely effective in earlier conflicts. Pinochet’s Chile is given an example of how boycotting the supply of aircraft had serious consequences for that abhorrent regime although this was not revealed until much later. Arms manufacture has been a very lucrative activity for the industry, but at some point a call has to be made to choose between going for profit or protecting life. It is encouraging to see action being taken to stop the killing in Gaza, shown to be the wishes of more and more people following the United Nations call for a cease fire. The mass media industry has been silent in admitting this until the scale of the genocide has become apparent to so many with massive and repeating demonstrations world wide. Meanwhile the Israeli Government continues to step up death and destruction boosted by a few unrepresentative voices of our leaders complicit in a long list of war crimes defined and agreed by members of the U.N. John Tyrrell, President. Socialist Labour Party 2/11/2023

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/oct/15/israel-hamas-war-live-us-sends-second-aircraft-carrier-to-deter-hostile-actions-against-israel-ground-assault-on-gaza-looms?filterKeyEvents=false&page=with:block-652c78608f08b15971781d18 The United Nations resolution calling for the fascist state of Israel to implement a humanitarian truce is useless – countries which supported this resolution should act now by flying transport planes over Gaza and parachuting in food, water, medical supplies and whatever can be distributed in this way to the innocent people whose Palestine – the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem – has been unlawfully occupied by Israel since 1967. The fascist leadership of the state of Israel continues to carry out the seizure of land and conduct constant attacks on occupied Palestine, and has driven out the Palestinian people for over half a century in defiance of the Geneva Convention and a myriad of United Nations resolutions. The United States, NATO, the European Union and the United Kingdom have all carried out numerous distributions of supplies by air. For example in 1952 in Korea, for 20 years in both Vietnam and Afghanistan and since February 2022 in Ukraine It is the fascist leadership of the state of Israel which today reminds the world of Nazi Germany’s assault on Jewish people in countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Ukraine before and during the Second World War. All the nations which supported the UN General Assembly resolution calling for a truce and humanitarian aid should make it clear that the leadership of Israel will be judged as war criminals for the horrors they have inflicted on the Palestinian people by the destruction of hospitals, schools, places of worship and homes. As a young Communist, I was educated politically by the most inspirational Jewish comrades such as James Klugman, Bert Ramelson and “Shorty” Brookstone (one of the leaders of the Battle of Cable Street), and I have fought verbally and physically against anti-semitism as a member of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1953 to 2011. The long struggles against anti-semitism and the unlawful occupation of Palestine are struggles which go hand-in-hand. . Arthur Scargill President National Union of Mineworkers 1982-2002 Deputy Leader, Socialist Labour Party

After what must have been an endless night of death and terror in Gaza reports of international response in the United Nations general assembly indicated that a resolution from Jordan requesting “a sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities” was opposed by the United States and Israel with just 12 countries supporting them. The Guardian published this information along with its updates on the ongoing genocidal action intensifying on the largely civilian population trapped in Gaza without basic necessities of life. “Jordan’s motion was passed in New York by 120 votes to 14, with 45 countries abstaining. The outcome was remarkable for showing the limited direct support for the world’s greatest superpower, with even France, Spain and the UK refusing to join the US in voting against the motion. The splits inside the EU, visible over recent weeks, were also laid bare, with the 27 members of the bloc voting three different ways, but the majority abstaining.” Guardian 28/10/2023 Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s Foreign Minister stated “It is a clear stand against Israel’s war, against the killing of Palestinians, against war crimes, on the side of international law”. Regrettably the resolution remain “a snapshot of world opinion” rather than a binding agreement. The security council has the power to do this but has been powerless when earlier resolutions on Gaza have been vetoed by either the U.S. or Russia. John Tyrrell, President Socialist Labour Party 28/10/2023

The fascist state of Israel has told the world that it is only attacking Hamas in Gaza. If that was true, how do the Israelis justify bombing, shelling and shooting in cold blood the population of the occupied West Bank? Israel’s actions are openly supported by the United States of America, the United Kingdom and most Western nations which are complicit with Israel and thus equally guilty of crimes against humanity. It’s time for trade unions in the UK and all countries to join in openly condemning Israel, calling for sanctions and an end to the supply of arms or any trade with this fascist state. Arthur Scargill Socialist Labour Party 19 October 2023

I’m watching reports of today’s horrific bombing of the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, with over 500 deaths already confirmed. When will the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and all its member countries condemn this fascist State of Israel, charge it with genocide and impose a ban on all arms and sanctions on all trade with this fascist State? The U.S., the U.K. and all E.U. member nations should charge Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his fascist government with crimes against humanity. Arthur Scargill Socialist Labour Party 17 October 2023

A massive turnout at Glasgow yesterday too. After a city centre rally an impromptu march took place to BBC Scotland HQ, a distance of over two miles. James MacDaid, Socialist Labour Party, Scottish Region 15/10/2023

The statement by the Israeli Government that it will wipe out GAZA is a repetition of the Bombing by Franco and Nazi on the people of Spain in the Spanish Civil War. Ever since the founding of the State of Israel in May 1948 the State of Israel has unlawfully occupied substantial areas of Palestine and evicted people from their homes as they ignore United Nations resolutions and World opinion and condemn nation. We demand that this horror and call for a settlement based on the border which existed in 1948, only then can we have a peaceful Middle East and World peace. Arthur Scargill Socialist Labour Party 15/10/2023

Photo Martin Lynch https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/free-palestine-demonstration-live-campaigners-27913353 Crowds are still building in the centre of Birmingham. The Birmingham Mail is reporting a peaceful demonstration which is still building by the minute demanding an end to the ongoing violence and killing in Gaza. People want an end to Genocide in spite of the actions and statements of Western “leaders” who fan the flames sending armaments to continue the conflict endlessly. Socialist Labour Party. West Midlands Region 15/10/2023

The late Gerard Kaufman M.P. warned the threat posed by Israel in a speech in Parliament. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEYz00MqCx0 Socialist Labour Party 14/10/2023

Message from SLP Member Chris Butler in Yorkshire: Comrades, demonstration to end the war in Palestine in Bradford yesterday. 500 people attended. In solidarity. Chris Chris Butler, SLP Yorkshire 11/10/2023