APWU Mark Dimondstein Writes In Common Dreams---Rashida Tlaib: A Profile in Courage

American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein has the following opinion piece in Common Dreams:

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) holds a sign reading “war criminal” and

 “guilty of genocide” during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s July 24, 

2024 address to Congress in Washington, D.C.

(Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Rashida Tlaib: A Profile in Courage

While she may have been a lone protest voice during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress last week, Rep. Tlaib did what is right.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., famously said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”

While she may have been a lone protest voice during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress last week, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) did what is right.

Most mainstream news reporting either ridiculed her or only briefly mentioned her silent protest displaying a sign with “War Criminal” printed on one side and “Guilty of Genocide” on the other. Missing was any analysis as to whether she was right. Let’s look at the facts.

Any objective observer of the war in Gaza must conclude that the Israeli government is guilty of war crimes and that those crimes are enabled by U.S. military aid. Ninety percent of the 2.3 million besieged residents of Gaza have been displaced. More than 39,000, mostly women and children, have been confirmed killed. The world-renowned medical journal TheLancet recently calculated that—once adding those beneath the rubble and dying from injuries and lack of medical care, disease, and famine—hat number will soon be closer to 200,000 people. Most homes have been razed. The medical system has been systematically targeted and destroyed, as have the water and sewer systems. Israel has intentionally blocked food aid, inducing widespread famine Between 111 and 165 journalists have been targeted and killed. People forced to move to “safe zones” have then been bombed.

The definition of genocide includes “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.”

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has charged, and its chief prosecutor has requested an arrested warrant for, Netanyahu for war crimes, including the purposeful starvation of civilians, willfully causing great suffering, and killings targeting the civilian population. As an indication of their impartiality, the ICC also charged the Hamas leadership with crimes against humanity.

Bolstering the ICC action is the everyday tragic news. As I write, Israel has just killed 30 and injured 100 civilians by bombing a school being used by displaced Gazan refugees.

Forty-five U.S. doctors and health professionals who carried out volunteer health services in Gaza sent a recent letter to U.S. President Joe Biden calling for a cease-fire and arms embargo sharing that, “with only marginal exceptions, everyone in Gaza is sick, injured, or both. Israel’s continued, repeated displacement of the malnourished and sick population of Gaza, half of whom are children, to areas with no running water or even toilets available is absolutely shocking… Every day that we continue supplying weapons and munitions to Israel is another day that women are shredded by our bombs and children are murdered with our bullets.”

Shame on both the Republican and Democratic Party leadership for inviting a war criminal to address Congress and giving him a green light to continue the crimes against humanity.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) not only made it clear that she would not have invited Netanyahu to speak before Congress but that he made the worst speech of any foreign leader afforded that opportunity. She is right, as Netanyahu openly attacked those in this country who are protesting his war crimes and continued U.S. military aid and spread absolute falsehoods that the protests are funded by Iran. His rotten statement was also directed against those family members of Jewish hostages who were protesting Netanyahu’s refusal to negotiate a cease-fire to free their loved ones.

While Rashida Tlaib, the one Palestinian-American in Congress, courageously protested inside the Capitol, thousands of us, including this union leader and proud Jewish-American, were peaceably demonstrating outside demanding a cease-fire, condemning Netanyahu’s crimes against humanity, and the U.S. government for continuing to send armaments to Israel.

I am proud that my union, which deplored the Hamas actions of October 7 and condemned Israel’s barbaric response, called for the release of all hostages and advocates for a permanent cease-fire and for massive humanitarian aid. Recently, our union took further action by a vote at our national convention to demand that our government halt military aid to Israel and joined six other unions, representing over 6 million U.S. unionized workers, calling on President Biden to implement an arms embargo. As the largest arms supplier to Israel, the Biden-led U.S government should use its leverage to stop the carnage. We are outraged that the taxes of workers are being used to kill, maim, and slaughter innocent people.

Most people in the U.S. and across the world support calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. In this time of urgent crisis, those protesting Netanyahu’s war crimes take inspiration from Congresswoman Tlaib’s “profile in courage” and refuse to be silenced in the continuing struggle for solidarity, justice, peace, and freedom. The cries of humanity demand nothing less.

Workers in Palestine

Earlier today I participated in an international call on the situation in Palestine and Israel that was sponsored by the National Labor Network for a Ceasefire and that was facilitated by Mark Dimondstein, President of the American Postal Workers Union. At this point the number of union and union locals and allied labor organizations that have signed on to the Network's call is quite large and the Network's ability to meet and work with Palestinian trade unionists by Zoom is significant.

Today's call featured presentations by several Palestinian trade union leaders. From my point of view, the most important presentations came from a leader of a transport union and a leader of the Palestinian journalists union. 

During the call mention was made of the Workers in Palestine effort, an international project that is developing a base among unions and union members here in North America. The National Labor Network has the following objectives:

* An immediate ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
* Restoration of basic human rights.
* Immediate release of hostages taken by Hamas.
* Unimpeded full access for humanitarian aid.

* Our president calling for a permanent ceasefire.

Workers in Palestine supports a call from many trade unions and trade unionists in Palestine that includes the following statement:

We are calling on trade unions in relevant industries:

* To refuse to build weapons destined for Israel.
* To refuse to transport weapons to Israel.
* To pass motions in their trade union to this effect.
* To take action against complicit companies involved in implementing Israel’s brutal and illegal siege, especially if they have contracts with your institution.
* Pressure governments to stop all military trade with Israel, and in the case of the US, funding to it.

We make this call as we see attempts to ban and silence all forms of solidarity with the Palestinian people. We ask you to speak out and take action in the face of injustice as trade unions have done historically. We make this call in the belief that the struggle for Palestinian justice and liberation is not only a regionally and globally determined struggle. It is a lever for the liberation of all dispossessed and exploited people of the world.

There is a spectrum of opinion and activism here. No one should feel that the two efforts are in conflict with one another, but everyone should feel some urgency about doing something to prevent the genocide taking place in Gaza and working to prevent a war that could go nuclear. This is a labor issue, as President Dimondstein points out.

Here is a helpful video from Workers in Palestine:

  e ceasefire in Gaza between Is

Please donate to the UAW Local 4811 Strike Fund

UAW Local 4811 is updating their website with useful information about the strike and the employer's attempts to block the union's progress. Our blog has also carried many articles about the strike movement: see here and here. Our key point today is that the union is in special need of our collective solidarity as the California university system's attempts to block the spread of the strike movement cause new problems for the striking workers. Still, this strike is making new labor history. 

National Writers Union Statement on the Attacks on Rafah

The National Writers Union is devastated by the recent Israeli airstrikes on Rafah, where more than 1.2 million people are currently sheltering. We are outraged at the dozens of Palestinians who were burned to death by U.S.-made bombs in tent encampments that were designated “safe zones.” These actions violate the International Court of Justice’s recent order that Israel end its military operations in Rafah, following the court’s January ruling that Israel is plausibly committing genocide in Gaza. Since the attack on October 7, 2023, that left nearly 1,200 dead, Israel has killed over 35,000 Palestinians and over 100 of our fellow media workers, most in targeted killings.

The mass murder of journalists and media workers is especially troubling and is an attempt to conceal what is happening in Gaza. Foreign journalists have been barred from entering Gaza except those embedded with the Israeli Occupation Forces. Palestinian journalists are the only ones reporting on the ground—and paying the ultimate price. On May 5, 2024, Israeli authorities raided Al Jazeera’s office in Jerusalem after the government ordered a shutdown of the station’s local operations. On May 21, 2024, Israeli officials seized broadcasting equipment from the Associated Press and cut its live feed of Gaza (the equipment has been returned).

Earlier this month, we published Red Lines, a report detailing retaliation against media workers for speaking critically about Israel’s war on Gaza. In it, we called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all political prisoners, a halt to U.S. military funding for Israel, and guaranteed access and protection for journalists in the region. We reiterate these demands in light of the attacks on Rafah and renew our commitment to acting in solidarity with our sibling union, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, and with the global labor movement following the urgent call from Palestinian trade unions.

May we continue to find hope and strength in one another.

UPDATED REPORT FROM THE PALESTINE GENERAL FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (PGFTU) ON CONDITIONS OF PALESTINIAN WORKERS IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK

UPDATED REPORT FROM THE PALESTINE GENERAL FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (PGFTU) ON CONDITIONS OF PALESTINIAN WORKERS IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK (as of May 1, 2024 - translated from Arabic)

This report is based on the cases that the General Federation of Trade Unions of Palestine was able to monitor -- those prevented from working, those targeted, persecuted, and detained, and those murdered at their workplaces or while in transit to or from work.

Since the start of the aggression against Gaza on October 7, 2024, Palestinian workers have received no income because they have been prevented from working.

In the Israeli labor market, there are 235,000 Palestinian workers, some of whom have started selling their furniture to feed their families. Their monthly losses are estimated at more than 1.35 billion shekels ($362,737,091), which has paralyzed the economy in the West Bank, resulting from the dismissal of more than 100,000 workers from their jobs inside Israel. Most of them were employed in agriculture and construction.

One hundred thirteen workers lost their lives in 2023, simply traveling to and performing their jobs as workers.

Palestinian Workers inside Israel in 2023:

79 died going to/from or while performing their jobs, 12 of whom were from Gaza
2 targeted by settlers
2 killed by the Israeli Occupation Forces
3, including Majed Ahmed Zaqoul and Mansour Nabhan and Rash Agha from Gaza, as a result of torture during interrogation in the occupation prisons after they were detained while they were at their workplaces.

Palestinian Workers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2023:

27 killed from the West Bank, among whom -
1 from the West Bank, targeted by settlers while he was picking olives on October 28, 2023;
1 a taxi driver was targeted by the occupation forces in Hebron governorate on November 13, 2023;
1 targeted by the occupation forces at the Beit Einoun junction in Hebron while working as a distributor of parcels on December 23, 2023;
5 while trying to reach their workplaces
10 died while performing their jobs since the beginning of 2024, including:

- Abd al-Rahim Abd al-Karim Amer from Qalqilya was killed on April 14,2024. At the same time, he and his son were detained In the occupation detention center Hadarim for more than two months under the pretext of working without a permit.

- Fayez Ahmed Awadalla Shahin, from Gaza, was martyred on April15, 2024 in the Nuweima shelter in Jericho as a result of the oppression he was subjected to due to his family's difficult situation in Gaza.

- Hassan Rabhi Khalil Mansiya from Dhahiriya, south of Hebron, was intercepted by the occupation forces, chased, arrested, assaulted, and then thrown off a building while he was returning from work inside the West Bank. (April 29, 2024)

Confirmed arrests of workers:

The General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions confirms that the number of Gaza workers in the Israeli labor market was approximately 19,000, whose permits have been revoked since the beginning of the events on October 7, 2023.

PGFTU monitored approximately 10,000 workers from Gaza at their workplaces, of whom 5,838 were provided with all their needs related to housing, food, and clothing by PGFTU.

80 workers were detained of 1,488 whose homes are in Gaza while returning from their jobs in the West Bank. The occupation forces arrested about 4,000 workers at their worksites in Israel; 3,200 of them were released and returned to the Gaza Strip. 800 remain detained.

PGFTU was able to monitor the total number of workers of 5,100 arrested since October 7th from the West Bank and Gaza, whether released or not, who work in the Israeli labor market.

For example:

* The arrest of three workers from Gaza in the town of Aqraba, southeast of Nablus, at dawn on Saturday, December 2, 2023;
* The arrest of 67 workers from Gaza in the town of Faroun, south of Tulkarm, at dawn on Thursday, December 7, 2023;
* 15 workers from Gaza were arrested in the municipality of Bidya as the occupation forces stormed the PGFTU headquarters and ransacked its contents on Sunday morning, January 14, 2024;
* The Israeli police arrested on Tuesday, 16/1/2024, at least 50 Palestinian workers from Hebron who have been stuck at their workplaces since the events of October 7, 2023;
* 40 Gazan laborers were arrested in their residences in Qalqilya governorate at dawn on Wednesday, 2024/1/17;
* Occupation forces arrested dozens of Gazan workers in the occupied territories from their workplaces in Barta'a, northwest of Jenin, at dawn on Saturday, February 17, 2024 ;
* The occupation forces arrested 50 Gazan workers from inside the shelter center in Nablus at dawn on Monday, February 26, 2024;
* 30 Gazan laborers were arrested after raiding the apartment building where they live in the town of Barta'a, south of Jenin, at dawn on Tuesday, February 27, 2024;
* 65 were arrested and transferred from their workplaces in raids that took place in the occupied city of Jaffa on Friday, March 15, 2024;
* 10 Palestinian workers from the West Bank were arrested in Ashkelon on Mar;

- The occupation forces killed 10 workers while entering Jerusalem from the Al-Zaim checkpoint, despite their having paid for their entry permits on April 14, 2024;
- Occupation forces arrested several workers while they were working inside a synagogue in the Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem on April 16, 2024;
- The occupation forces arrested 10 workers from Hebron inside a construction workshop in Caesarea, in the occupied territories south of Haifa, under the pretext of working without a permit April 17, 2024;
- Several West Bank workers were arrested inside an apartment in Tel Aviv on Saturday, April 27, 2024;
- Arrests of 2,000 workers from Gaza who were released from the Kerem Shalom crossing in November 2023.

Note: During the war, the occupation authority followed a policy of arresting and interrogating workers and then releasing them or keeping them under detention.

Note: These workers live in harsh detention conditions due to the physical abuse, torture, and starvation practiced against them during interrogation by the Israeli police in Abu Kabir and Anatot detention centers in the occupied territories.

There were 5,838 workers from Gaza working in towns and villages across the West Bank, of whom 1,488 were returned to Gaza.

Note: According to a report by Hebrew Channel 12, the Shin Bet security service of the occupation government confirmed that there were not any charges against the Palestinian workers, and after interrogating about 3,000 workers from Gaza who held permits to work in Israel, it turned out that they had nothing to do with any event since and before the events of October 7, which confirms the arrogance of the occupation and its force in continuing to abuse workers in all ways to deprive them of their livelihood.

We in the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions demand the following:

- Cease the persecution of workers in all places where they are located in the occupied territories and the West Bank;
- Allow workers to return safely to their homes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and protect them while going there;
- The immediate and urgent release of all detained workers from the West Bank and Gaza;
- Pressure the Israeli government to compensate Palestinian workers working in the Israeli labor market who have been out of work for more than seven months.