CUPE Votes to Boycott Israel

The Canadian Union of Public Employees in Ontario has voted to boycott Israel. That's quite a significant move, considering it's seen as being politically incorrect to apply any pressure to the country over its treatment of the Palestinian people.

Delegates to the Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario convention in Ottawa voted overwhelmingly Saturday to support the campaign until it sees Israel recognizing the Palestinians' right to self-determination. The Ontario group represents more than 200,000 workers.

The global campaign started last July and has been supported by many North American churches, 20 Quebec organizations, and others, Canadian Press said.

CUPE also condemned what they called Israel's "apartheid wall," saying it is illegal under international law.

"Boycott, divestment and sanction worked to end apartheid in South Africa," said Katherine Nastovski, chairwoman of the CUPE Ontario international solidarity committee.

"We believe the same strategy will work to enforce the rights of Palestinian people, including the right of refugees to return to their homes and properties."

In Britain, a teacher's union will vote Monday on a proposed boycott as well:

LONDON (AP) - Members of Britain's largest college teachers' union have reignited a fierce debate over academics and politics by asking colleagues to consider boycotting Israel over what it says is the Jewish state's "apartheid" policies toward the Palestinians.

The 67,000-member National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education is to debate a proposal for a boycott Monday at its annual conference in the English resort city of Blackpool.

The motion "notes continuing Israeli apartheid policies" including the construction of the separation wall between Israel and the West Bank.

It also asks members to consider their own responsibility for ensuring equity and non-discrimination in contacts with Israeli educational institutions or individuals, and to consider the appropriateness of a boycott of those who do not publicly dissociate themselves from such policies.

This issue has been quite controversial for many years:

In 2002, hundreds of European academics backed a boycott of Israeli universities to protest the treatment of the Palestinians. The move led to the firing of two Israelis from British publications and prompted allegations of discrimination and intellectual censorship.

Nevertheless, the extremely slow pace of any movement towards peace between Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be challenged on many levels by concerned people around the world. It's quite clear that the long list of UN Security Council Resolutions over this conflict has not served Palestinians well over the years.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon today:

LUCI, Lebanon (Reuters) - Israeli jets attacked Syrian-backed Palestinian and Lebanese guerrillas in Lebanon on Sunday, sparking gunbattles on the volatile border hours after rockets fired into northern Israel wounded an Israeli soldier.

One Palestinian militant and a Hizbollah fighter were killed and two Lebanese civilians and another Israeli soldier were wounded in one of the worst bouts of violence since Israel ended a 22-year occupation of south Lebanon six years ago.