Occupied Palestine , 15 July 2015 — On the 10^th anniversary of the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) – Gaza Strip reiterated its “unwavering commitment” to the BDS movement against Israel until it complies with its obligations under international law and recognizes the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. 

In the statement, signed by 15 trade unions in besieged Gaza, Palestinian trade unionists reaffirmed their rejection of any form of normalization with the Israeli state and its institutions, as defined by the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC). 

PGFTU – Gaza Strip also called on international trade unions to boycott the Histadrut, Israel’s trade union entity, due to its “blatant complicity in Israel’s policies including occupation, settlement building, apartheid and [robbery] of Palestinian workers rights”.   

The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) warmly welcomes the statement made by PGFTU and other unions in Gaza, considering it an important step towards escalating BDS campaigns within the trade union movement internationally against Israel until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights. 

The BNC, representing the broadest coalition in Palestinian civil society and leading the global BDS movement, reiterates its call on the trade union movement internationally to endorse BDS as the most effective form of solidarity with the Palestinian people in our struggle to end Israel’s regime of occupation, settler colonialism and apartheid.