BDS Campaign Expanding: Let’s Forge Ahead

At its 2008 Convention, CUPW adopted a resolution supporting the BDS campaign. The call for a boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel was made by more than 175 Palestinian unions, groups and organizations in 2005, with a view to forcing the State of Israel to negotiate peace and recognize the right of Palestinians to self‑determination.

Ten years later, we know that international pressure is now playing a significant role in leading to the resolution of the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict. Here is a look at CUPW’s current solidarity work with Palestine:

• In late 2015, the National Executive Board adopted a project to support the work of the Palestinian Postal Service Workers Union (PPSWU). The project is aimed at financially supporting the preparation of the PPSWU’s Annual Conference, which is scheduled for May of this year.
• The Union is now supporting STOP THE WALL, a Palestinian organization that coordinates the activities of groups involved in mobilizing local residents who are directly affected by the Separation Wall. You can visit its website at www.stopthewall.org. The Union encourages you to support this organization.
• The Union also invites you to visit the website of WE ARE NOT NUMBERS (www.wearenotnumbers.org), where Palestinians share their day‑to‑day stories. Theirs is a call to sharing and solidarity.
• The Union has agreed to fund a request by Independent Jewish Voices, which is sponsoring a tour by Hiedar Abu Thosh, a Palestinian who was driven from his village (Imwas) in 1967 by the Israeli army. Canada Park, financed by the Jewish National Fund of Canada, was built on the site of his village. His tour dates will be announced at a later date.

There are several ways of demonstrating our solidarity and support for the BDS campaign:

Boycott:

• SodaStream, an illegal product manufactured in an illegal Jewish settlement under an illegal occupation, but still sold at The Bay, Canadian Tire, Target, and Staples;
• products with a barcode starting with "729" (Israel);
• Ahava cosmetics, which are manufactured from Dead Sea minerals (in occupied territory), sold at The Bay;
• products like underwear and hydration systems produced by Israeli defence industries, which are sold at Mountain Equipment Coop;
• Indigo/Chapters, whose shareholders support the Israeli military through the Heseg Foundation.

Divestment:

• Request the withdrawal of our Pension Plan investments in Israeli companies like Caterpillar, Motorola, ITT Industries and United Technologies;
• suspend funding, financial or organizational support and recognition of Israeli research centres or cultural programs.

Sanctions:

Demand that the federal government:

• vote in favour of resolutions censuring Israel for its violations of international law (the 5^th Geneva Convention);
• ban any imports from the occupied territories;
• terminate its Free Trade Agreement with Israel.