The largest labor union in the Canadian province of Ontario has voted unanimously to boycott Israel 'until it recognizes the Palestinians' right of self-determination' and accepts all UN resolutions including the right of return. The Anti-Defamation League harshly condemned the decision, calling it 'deplorable and offensive.'
The decision was made by the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which has 450,000 members.
The union's decision says that it is joining an international campaign to boycott Israel and to impose sanctions on it, until it fulfills all UN resolutions including the right of return of Palestinian refugees from 1948. The union also intends to support pro-Palestinian organizations in an educational campaign, which will depict Israel as an apartheid state. It called on the national union to join and pass a similar resolution.
ADL director general Abraham Foxman said '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 ... Hamas' reign over the PA and its refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist or to renounce terror.'