[Boycott - Economic - Europe]

Don't buy settlement goods, says TUC

Trade Union Congress Press Release
8 April 2010

The TUC and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) are today (Thursday) calling on consumers not to buy goods from illegal Israeli settlements.

Launching a leaflet - Would You Buy Stolen Goods? - and a briefing for unions to promote the campaign, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'Israeli settlements are built on stolen Palestinian land and are illegal under international law. By confiscating land and resources, and encouraging conflict, they make life a misery for ordinary Palestinian workers and their families. And as Israel's recent announcement of yet more settlement building shows, they are the biggest obstacle to resuming peace talks.

'It's easy for us to feel powerless about this situation, but as consumers we can make a difference by not supporting the businesses that sustain these settlements. So next time you're shopping, make sure you don't buy goods labelled: 'Product of the West Bank (Israeli Settlement produce)'.

'This is not a call for a general boycott of Israeli goods and services which would hit ordinary Palestinian and Israeli workers. Nor should workers in Britain put their own jobs at risk by refusing to deal with goods from the settlement goods. Instead, we're calling for targeted, consumer-led sanctions to send a clear message against the settlements.

'And with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign we're also calling on the UK Government to make sure that the EU bans the sale of these goods.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Would You Buy Stolen Goods? is available at www.tuc.org.uk/extras/settlementgoodsleaflet.pdf and the briefing for trade union officers is available at www.tuc.org.uk/extras/settlementsbriefing.pdf

- For more information on the TUC policy on the Middle East go to www.tuc.org.uk/congress/tuc-16991-f0.cfm

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (400 words) issued 8 Apr 2010

TUC Briefing Document

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TUC leaflet - Would You Buy Stolen Goods?

Source: http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-17817-f0.cfm

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