The youth congress of the CUT, the confederation of Brazilian trade unions, has joined the global BDS movement.
At their annual national convention, held on Saturday, February 3, 2007, the delegates approved a motion endorsing the Palestinian BDS movement and calling on the Brazilian government to cut trade relations with Israel. The motion was passed with 200 votes in favor and four against.
The motion will be brought in front of the CUT General Congress for endorsement.
The growing support of the Brazilian CUT constitutes an important part to the solidarity movement in Brazil. The trade union is one of the major forces in civil society and can be effective in influencing the lately shaky Lula government.
The CUT is an important, well-connected and respected member of the international labour movement. Thus, the support of the CUT further increases the legitimacy and potency of the BDS call on the international level.
FULL TEXT OF THE MOTION:
Motion of support for the Call of the Palestinian Civil Society
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel
Until it complies with International Law and Universal Principles of
Human Rights
On June 9 2007, it will be 40 years from the Occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. During all this period, Israel has continued to build and expand illegal colonies and exclusive roads on Palestinian occupied territory. Almost six decades after the establishment of the state of Israel, mainly on lands cleansed from its indigenous Palestinian inhabitants, the majority of the Palestinian people are refugees without a state of their own. The Israeli system of racial discrimination against its Arab-Palestinian citizens remains intact. Despite the historical decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of July 9, 2004, that has stated the illegality of the Wall at the moment under construction in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Israel continues the construction of the Wall and to annex de facto more lands in total disrespect of the decision of the Court.
Considering the repeated Israeli violations of international law and
Given that, since 1948, hundreds of UN resolutions have condemned Israelâs colonial and discriminatory policies and have called for immediate and effective solutions;
Given that all past and present forms of international interventions to reach peace have failed to convince or to force Israel to comply with international humanitarian law, to respect the fundamental human rights and to end its occupation and oppression of Palestine;
In sight of the fact of that people of conscience in the international community have historically supported the moral responsibility to fight the injustice, such as exemplified in the fight for the end of apartheid in South Africa through different forms of boycott, divestment and sanctions
Inspired by the fight of the South Africans against apartheid, and, in the spirit of international solidarity, moral consistency and resistance to injustice and oppression,
The Youth Congress of the CUT supports the call of the 171 Palestinian civil society organizations, for boycotting, divestment and sanctions against the State of Israel, similar to those that helped to end apartheid in South Africa. Thus being, we demand that the government of the Federal Republic of Brazil suspends all forms of commercial relation with the State of Israel until it complies with the International Law by means of:
1. The end of the occupation of all Arab land and the dismantling of the Wall under construction;
2. Recognition of the basic right of the Arab-Palestinians citizens to the full equality;
3. Respect, protection and promotion of the right of the Palestinian refugee to return to their homes and properties, as stipulated by UN resolution 194.
Approved in plenary session, 9th National Youth Congress of the CUT, São Paulo, February 3, 2007.