Live reports from delegation to Palestine - UN and Kavla Oved

Second report from a delegation to Palestine and Israel by Sam Macartney, UNISON Scotland International Chair:  Day 3: Met with the UN representative this morning, (Rodger Dalton) also at the meeting was Lord Warner Labour peer, and two forgettable Tory MPs. They were getting to travel to Gaza while groups with a real interest an agenda are barerd.

Meeting with Kavla Oved workers' rights group

The meeting again confirmed the lack of interest by the majority of the UN nations, still no building material aloud to enter Gaza. The Israeli government have stated that building material can be used for terrorism. Meanwhile people live in tents. Some tents where supplied by UN countries who have no intention to ask for compensation from Israel for destroying them.


It was will worth noting that the Lord and the Tories left before the briefing meeting finished. Obviously keen to get to Gaza.

Sadly the situation in Gaza shows no sign of improvement. Shame on the UN as a body which is suppose to provide humanitarian assistance, WHEN?

Jericho

Day 3. PM:  We met with the Palestinian group Kavla Oved in Jericho. They are a non -profit making non-governmental organisation committed to protecting the rights of disadvantaged workers employed in Israel in occupied territories and in areas of Palestine workers' employment.

At this point their focus is protecting workers in farming and horticultural employment and the majority are employed by Israeli settlers who have taken their land with the help of the Israeli government.

At the home of trade unionists

These workers have had little or no rights in employment, they are paid less than poverty wages and sacked if they complain. Long hours with no breaks, health and safety is unheard of, and injury and fatal accidents are a regular occurrence.

Kavla Oved seek the assistance of all UK trade unions in this fight which I will expand on when I return to Scotland and the UK.

Finally today on our return to Jerusalem we met with the Israeli committee against house demolition (ICAHD), represented by Jeff Halper, author and an active voice for civil rights in Palestine.

Bedouin people are also under threat
of forced removal by Israeli government

Jeff confirmed what UNISON has known and feared for years, that is that the Israeli government are attempting to remove Palestinian people from their homes and lands by whatever means it takes.

In a systematic destruction of Palestinian homes and villages, the pace of these clearances has increased drastically since 1948 and to date more than 120,000 homes have been destroyed.

The UN must change their stance on Israel and Prevent further acts of blatant destruction driving Palestinian from their homes and country, Jeff stated, the Israel government don't recognise Palestinians they only see Arabs.

See also http://unison-scotland.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/live-reports-from-unison-delegation-to.html