Commenting on the passing of an urgent motion at the Annual
Conference of the National Education Union, Kevin
Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education
Union, said:
"The discussion about the rights of the Palestinian people today
comes in response to the Israeli Government’s decisions to expand
the settlements and the increase in deaths of Palestinian people,
with 230 lives lost since the start of 2023. The number of
Palestinian deaths is the highest since 2005.
“The NEU recommits to working with teacher trade unionists in
Palestine, and to supporting the right of Palestinian children to
safety and to education. The Union believes the Government should
uphold the rights of the Palestinian people, as required by
international law.
"The International Criminal Court is examining acts carried out
by the Israeli military and the Union is seeking to raise
awareness of the destruction of homes and schools and the
intolerable conditions created by the occupation of the West Bank
and Gaza.
"The Union places great importance on being clear on how to
assert the rights of the Palestinians using values, principles
and language which are not antisemitic. It is essential that the
actions and the national decisions of the Israeli Government are
challenged in ways which never draw on antisemitic tropes or
anti-Jewish prejudice. The Union recommits itself today to
working to raise awareness and tackle different forms of racism,
including Islamophobia and antisemitism.
"Racism manifests in different ways but people can come together
to learn about the historic roots to racism, including
antisemitism, in order to understand contemporary forms of
prejudice."
Editor’s Note
UM2 Palestine
Conference continues to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian
people. We support their right to self-determination and call for
the end of the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Conference notes the increase in deaths of the Palestinian people
in 2022, at 231 this is the highest number since the early 2000s.
There have been at least 80 deaths so far this year.
Conference notes the election in Israel of an extreme far-right
government described by many as the most ultra-nationalist,
racist and homophobic in Israel’s history. This will have a
devastating impact on the Palestinians in the West Bank.
Conference condemns the new policy paper signed by the UK and the
Israeli governments which barely mentions the Palestinians.
Conference condemns the attacks by settlers on the town of Huwara
on 26 February 2023 where homes and cars were burned.
Conference notes the International Criminal Court is examining
acts carried out by the Israeli military.
Conference believes the Israeli Military at the behest of the
Government of Israel are carrying out actions which are in
contravention of the Geneva convention - the destruction of homes
(Huwara), of schools, (Masafer Yatta), the transfer of
Palestinian children to Israeli prisons outside the West Bank.
Conference further believes the present Israeli Government has
adopted policies which are set to expand the settlements, take
the lands of Palestinians and further notes that members of the
Israeli Cabinet have openly expressed views supporting what the
Israeli Daily Newspaper Haaretz has called "pogroms" against the
Palestinian people.
Conference is completely opposed to all forms of racism,
including anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism.
We salute those young Israelis who have refused to serve in the
army of occupation. We also note the significance of the mass
movement which has led to calls for a general strike forcing
Netanyahu’s government to currently freeze plans to reform the
judiciary.
On the 75th anniversary of the Nakhba when over 750,000
Palestinians were driven from their homes, and lands we call for
the recognition of the rights of the Palestinians by the Israeli
government and by the British Government and call for immediate
steps to ensure those rights are put into practice.
Conference opposes any comparisons between the Holocaust and the
events taking place in the land of historic Palestine.
Conference is committed to opposing all forms of antisemitism and
believe the injustices suffered by the Palestinians are distinct
and merit redress on economic, political and moral grounds.
Conference’s solidarity is with the Palestinian people, with
Palestinian teacher colleagues and the children they teach.
