Political Success

The new LEFT UNITY party voted to adopt the full Boycott Divestment and Sanctions position at its conference this weekend just gone. It also voted to affiliate to PSC nationally and (where possible) locally. We are happy to declare that this great achievement was mainly down to members of our local WFPSC group, some of whom also members of the local LU. The final motion was moved by Roland Rance but it was the result of successful team work – also including Naomi, Ray, Susan and Inbar.

D. Support for Palestinian rights and BDS

Proposed by Waltham Forest branch

Left Unity stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle against oppression and dispossession. We will work and campaign towards a just resolution of the Palestine conflict, and towards a future without violence and discrimination.

We recognise that the preconditions for such a resolution include complete and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all territories occupied in the 1967 war, the implementation of a programme to enable the return of Palestinians exiled and dispersed since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, and the negation of all discriminatory legislation.

Left Unity supports, and will work to promote, the call by scores of Palestinian organisations (including all Palestinian trade unions) for a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel until it complies with its obligations under international law. We will work to support academic and cultural boycotts of Israel.

Left Unity will affiliate to and work with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and will support local solidarity and twinning groups. In trade unions, we will work towards establishing links with Palestinian trade unions and cutting links with Israeli trade unions, including the Histadrut, which do not act in support of Palestinian rights.

We will oppose propaganda efforts to present Israel as a model for human or democratic rights. In particular, we will support the campaign against Israeli “pinkwashing”, which falsely presents Israel as an oasis of LGBTQ rights. We reject any attempt to smear opponents of Zionism and supporters of Palestinian rights as antisemites.

At the same time, Left Unity will resolutely oppose any expression of antisemitism, whether within the solidarity movement or elsewhere. We recognise that such racism is not only wrong in itself; it also gives a spurious credibility to Israeli propaganda. Our support for Palestinian rights is motivated by the principles of international solidarity and anti-racism.