Ramallah, 23-06-07: The Palestinian National Initiative (PNI) welcomes the passing of Motion 53 on June 21 by UNISON, Britain‘s largest trade union representing more than 1.3 million public service workers, calling for concerted and sustained pressure upon Israel including an economic, cultural, academic and sporting boycott in order to bring about an end to Israel‘s Occupation and a just, peaceful solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict based upon international law.
The motion also condemned economic sanctions imposed on the Palestinian Authority by Israel and some members of the international community, which "make worse the appalling economic circumstances of the occupation" and which are "a unique example of economic sanctions imposed, not upon an occupier, but upon a population struggling against illegal military occupation."
The PNI expresses its support to UNISON in its open stand against occupation, injustice and the wilful violation of international law and calls on other international civil society movements around the world to initiate similar boycott campaigns.
This forms part the PNI‘s long-held belief that Israel will not end the Occupation by itself and will only do so in response to the kind of international solidarity activity and sanctions that forced an end to the Apartheid regime in South Africa.
To this end, the PNI has consistently called for military non-cooperation with, and divestment from Israel, and the rallying of international solidarity as effective means to push for an end to the Occupation.