ADL Deplores Ontario Union's Vote to Boycott
Israel
New York, NY, May 30,
2006 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today labeled as "deplorable and
offensive" a call by the Ontario branch of Canada's largest labor
unions for a full range of anti-Israel boycott activity.
At its annual meeting on
May 28, the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Union of Public Employees
(CUPE) unanimously passed a resolution to "support the international
campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions" against Israel. The
vote almost directly coincided with the passage on May 29 of an
anti-Israel boycott resolution by an academic union in Britain.
"Once again, a labor union
has voted to take the deplorable and offensive step of attempting to
isolate and vilify the State of Israel while taking a strongly one-sided
view of the conflict," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National
Director. "While full of propagandistic hyperbole, the union's
resolution makes no effort to reflect current realities on the ground in
the region. There is no mention of Israel's unilateral
redeployment from Gaza and proposed action in the West Bank, nor is
there any recognition of the challenges posed by the terrorist group
Hamas' reign over the Palestinian Authority and its refusal to recognize
Israel's right to exist or to renounce terror."
The CUPE resolution urged
members to "support the international campaign of boycott, divestment
and sanctions until Israel meets its obligations to recognize the
Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination and fully
complies with the precepts of international law including the right of
Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as
stipulated in UN resolution 194." The resolution further called
for solidarity with the Palestinians, the development of an "education
campaign about the apartheid nature of the Israeli state," and for
lobbying against Canadian support for Israel.
The Canadian Union of
Public Employees (CUPE) represents 450,000 workers in health care,
education, municipalities, libraries, universities, social services,
public utilities, transportation, emergency services and airlines.
The national union has not taken a position on Israeli-Palestinian
relations.
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's
leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and
services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
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