Palestine and the Offensive against Gaza

Created on: 25 Jan 2018 | Last modified: 02 Apr 2020

Introduction 

1.1 The following resolutions were approved by the Annual General Meeting in June 2009:

Palestine

This AGM instructs Council to:

a) highlight and publicise concerns at the plight of the Palestine people;

b) strengthen links with Palestinian Trade Unions;

c) support initiatives taken by branches to assist in the rebuilding of the education infrastructure in Gaza, including twinning arrangements between.

Offensive Against Gaza

This AGM instructs Council to:

a) send a message of protest to the Israeli Authorities regarding the offensive against Gaza;

b) encourage the boycott of Israeli goods in schools and colleges;

c) call on the UK Government to halt sales of arms and any other equipment suitable for conversion to military

1.2 At its September meeting, the Executive Committee was provided with copies of campaigning material from the STUC regarding the boycott of Israeli goods.

Fulfilling the Terms of the AGM Resolutions

2.1 In order to fulfil the terms of the resolutions outlined above, the following action points should be agreed:

  1. A letter be sent to the Israeli Government and copied to the UK Foreign Office expressing the concerns of the EIS and protesting against the offensive in Gaza;
  2. A letter be sent to the UK Government calling on it to stop the sale of arms and other equipment capable of conversion to military use to Israel;
  3. Include articles, eg in the SEJ, publicising the concerns of the EIS at the plight of the Palestinian people;
  4. Advice be sought from Education International regarding:
    1. establishing closer links with Palestinian Trade Unions (particularly the General Union of Palestinian Teachers – GUPT);
    2. the establishment of twinning arrangements between schools in Scotland and Palestine and to provide support for twinning arrangements which are already in place;
    3. sending an official EIS delegation to Palestine in 2010 to build links with Palestinian Teaching Unions, to investigate the rebuilding of the educational infrastructure and to establish twinning procedures with Palestinian schools.
  5. Circulate copies of the attached “boycott leaflet” to all school, college and university branches.
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