of labour that led the govern- had labour. Many of these work- sion. ers have worked under virtucarning wages below the level for Isracli 1888EE workers. Un-aployment levels have risen amongst Arab workers and add to their discrimination.
WAC has fought for jobs WOCKES in the building industry. But the employers prefer to employ cede imported labour because it is cheaper and these workers graphic they do not want to lose their jobs. The building employers the the government to court since it reduced the number in the country. They want A couple of companies said they would take local Arab people.
could find POTKC them, so WAC has put this to the test. Whilst the work Arabs. has secured around 100 jobs, and has less than Xxl members) it is nonetheless politiupset the work of WAC in the building thants building trade union organisation, if anybody doubted it. tions should write to the Israeli Registrar protesting and call on the ILO to interMy trip to Israel gave a and indelible impression of the reality of experienced by the 20% of population that Arab/Palestinian. KOCESTT and discrimination is a consequence of such a state. The lact ol tbc Holocaust docs not justify the dispossession oppression of anther But, of course, the conflict The numbers cf be OT DONCaLA Israeli statelis growing, as shown by the brave stand of tac young clusis and the A new branch of the Palestine Solidarity an Israeli flag appeared oppoCampaign was launched in site the stall, but after being May, initiated by a sec- immediately approached and ondary school teacher who confronted with our arguments had recently been to Palestine with the vere apparendy based on his nterprecation of the Bible) International Solidarity Moverent. Louise van der We are holding fortightly: Hoeven, Treasurer of the branch meetings and while campaign reports. some are langer than others we Our first meeting was not have a regular core with sev. oely well attended with nearty tral committed members wenty people present but albo around us. We are holding regrotved a spread of nationali ular protests at supermarkees, La different one every time to French and Britsh. We were educate people about the trade unionists and students Boycott israel Good Campaign, handing out leallets political organisations and tradi- and talking to shoppers. bons as well as those trom Local trades concis and sevnone. Despite this diversity, we emai union branches have attilquite eauily resched a consen- ated to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign nationally. The posSNOO Or DoRUs Our first public event was a sibility of twining Newcastle stall in Newcastle City centre with Bethlehem is being seriwith about ten people working ously looked into, which will be on ic. We got a very good excellent in terms of solidarity meeotion from shoppers, wh and profile. showed a lot of interest.
The only negative reaction are going to Palestine with thei an important layer of young supporters Incernational Solidarity Moverent soon. This wil create a good platform for us to educate people, through the truth of the situation in Palestine, as opposed to the sanitised fantasy, which we are: so often confronted with.
We are also building for the national day of action on September 18. Local campaigns have sprung sp around the country, attracting If all the members of the branch sat down to debate the practical options as to the solution to the sicuaton in talestnt local media and talks, about the I very much doube we would reach anything approaching an agreement. However we have quickly become a dynamic and cohesive croup, united by our revusion ac the Israeli Sate's oppression of the Palestinian