Palestine
Palestinian Postal Services Workers Union appeal
Member of the International Trade Union Network for Solidarity and Struggles
August 9, 2026
PPSWU
To Trade Unions, Labour Federations and International Trade Union Organizations
To Workers and Trade Unionists Around the World
To the International Trade Union Movement
STOP THE SILENCE IN THE FACE OF SETTLER VIOLENCE
We, the Palestinian Postal Services Workers Union, address this appeal to the international trade union movement at a moment when silence can no longer be considered a neutral position.
What is happening in the West Bank is not a series of isolated incidents.
It is an escalating and systematic assault against the Palestinian people, targeting land, people, workers, farmers and families. In many cases, these attacks take place under the protection of, or in the presence of, the Israeli military.
On 8 August 2026, the town of Idhna, northwest of Hebron, came under a violent attack by settlers.
Trade union colleague Imad Temeiza, his family and fellow residents of the town were in a public place and inside the town mosque when they were attacked.
Palestinian young men were dragged across the ground.
They were beaten and humiliated.
The mosque was raided.
The attacks took place in the presence of the military, while the victims were not provided with the protection that the forces present were expected to provide.
Part of these events was documented on video.
What was not filmed does not mean that it did not happen.
What happened in Idhna must not be treated as an isolated incident.
It must be investigated.
Those responsible must be identified.
Everyone who participated in the attacks, allowed them to take place, or provided protection to those carrying them out must be held accountable.
Trade union colleague Imad Temeiza is known to the international trade union movement.
For years, he has stood in international trade union forums defending Palestinian workers and human rights.
Today, he has chosen to stand on the ground.
He took a period away from his work in the postal service in order to protect his land and family and to accompany his father in agricultural work.
He moved from defending workers’ rights on international platforms to defending his land and family on the ground.
This is the reality facing Palestinian workers today.
A postal worker who should be going to work finds himself forced to protect his land.
A farmer who should be cultivating his land finds himself facing settlers.
A family that wants to live in peace finds itself facing attacks and intimidation.
At the same time, attacks are escalating across different areas of the West Bank.
Land confiscation.
House demolitions.
Burning of property.
Destruction of crops.
Killing of animals.
Assaults on civilians.
Threats against families.
Preventing farmers from reaching their land.
And attacks against workers while carrying out their jobs.
On the morning of 10 August 2026, according to information received by us, a settler in Idhna opened fire and killed seven sheep.
Even animals have not been spared from this violence.
But what is even more serious is that these attacks have become part of the daily reality experienced by Palestinians.
As a trade union, we know very well that violence does not stop at the boundaries of the land.
Postal and delivery workers across the West Bank have been directly attacked.
In the Sa’ir area north of Hebron, a postal company vehicle was attacked by settlers.
The worker driving the vehicle was beaten.
Money and parcels inside the vehicle were stolen.
Similar attacks have been recorded in the Al-Fawwar area south of Hebron.
This is not only a security issue.
This is a workers’ rights issue.
A worker who is beaten while carrying out their job suffers a direct violation of their right to safe working conditions.
A worker who fears reaching their workplace because of settler violence is being denied their basic rights.
We refuse to allow this reality to become normal.
We refuse to allow violence against Palestinians to become a daily news item.
We refuse to allow Palestinian bodies to become a battlefield for political and electoral struggles.
And we refuse to accept governments standing by when they have the power to exert pressure.
The international community has so far demonstrated its failure to protect the Palestinian people.
It has failed to stop the crimes committed against civilians in Gaza.
It has failed to prevent the escalation of settler violence in the West Bank.
It has failed to provide real protection for civilians.
Today we say clearly:
We do not want statements of sympathy alone.
We want trade union action.
We want political pressure.
We want investigations.
We want accountability.
We want protection for civilians.
We want concrete measures against groups that commit violence.
We therefore call on trade unions and labour federations in the United States, Canada, Europe and around the world to:
FIRST
Pressure your governments to end any political, financial or military support that could contribute to protecting, enabling or empowering settler groups that commit violence against Palestinians.
SECOND
Demand the deployment of independent fact-finding missions to Idhna and to Palestinian areas repeatedly subjected to settler attacks.
THIRD
Demand an independent international investigation into the events of 8 August in Idhna, including the raid on the mosque, the dragging and beating of young people, and attacks against civilians in the presence of the military.
FOURTH
Document all attacks against Palestinian workers, particularly postal, delivery and transport workers, and include them in reports on violations of workers’ rights.
FIFTH
Send international trade union delegations to Idhna and to areas affected by settler violence, and stand directly with Palestinian workers, farmers and families.
SIXTH
Organize a solidarity visit to trade union colleague Imad Temeiza and his family, demonstrating that the international trade union movement will not abandon its activists when they move from trade union struggle to confronting attacks against their land and families.
SEVENTH
Issue urgent solidarity statements from international trade unions and federations, and address governments, parliaments and international institutions regarding the escalation of settler violence.
EIGHTH
Use every available tool of the international trade union movement to pressure for an end to impunity and accountability for those responsible for these attacks.
We are not asking for privileges.
We are demanding basic rights.
The right of a worker to return home safely.
The right of a farmer to reach their land.
The right of a family to live without intimidation.
The right of every person to worship without raids or attacks.
The right of Palestinians to live.
And the right of workers to protection and dignity.
The international trade union movement was built on solidarity.
Solidarity is not measured by the number of statements issued.
Solidarity is measured by what we do when one of our workers is attacked.
Today, a Palestinian worker is being attacked in Idhna.
Tomorrow, a worker somewhere else in the world may face the same violation.
If we allow violence and impunity to become normal, workers’ rights and human rights become nothing more than words.
We have seen what happened in 1948.
Today, the world can see what is happening in front of the cameras.
The difference is that today’s crimes are documented in images and sound.
No one can therefore say that they did not know.
No one can say that they did not see.
And trade unions cannot say that they did not hear.
We call on the international trade union movement to act.
We want real solidarity with Idhna.
We want solidarity with Imad and his family.
We want solidarity with postal workers.
We want solidarity with farmers.
We want solidarity with every Palestinian who faces violence because they insist on defending their land and their right to live.
From Idhna, we say this clearly:
We will not leave our workers alone.
We will not leave our farmers alone.
We will not accept settler violence becoming a daily policy without accountability.
We call on trade unions and labour federations around the world to stand with us now.
Not tomorrow.
Now.
Palestinian Postal Services Workers Union
Palestine
10 August 2026
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h3XFO74hwB0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjWwoHTBYSk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmJfm8_dKwE
