UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Sunday 20 March 2011

BDS movement against Israeli Apartheid is 'doing a good job all over the world'

Ofer Eini, leader of Israel's Histadrut trade union confederation is reported in the Jerusalem Post as saying that the boycott movement against Israel is "doing a good job all over the world". Eini, a leading opponent of the boycott in the international trade union movement, was speaking at an Israel lobby event in New York.

Meanwhile the Israeli Knesset has passed the first reading of an anti-boycott bill which would impose punitive fines on Israelis who call for academic or economic boycotts against Israeli institutions. The opposition Hadash Party said the law is aimed at "perpetuating the occupation," adding that it "violates freedom of expression and every citizen's right to choose to boycott products from the occupied territories. There is racism here which must be condemned."

Leading cultural figures such as Israel Prize laureate David Tartakover, singer Rona Kenan, poet Meir Wieseltier as well as the Coalition of Women for Peace and others are opposing the Bill. Histadrut is not amongst those speaking out against the Bill..
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4042313,00.html