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TUC urges Israel arms ban

September 11, 2014 10:01

By

Marcus Dysch,

Marcus Dysch

1 min read

The Trades Union Congress has called on the government to end arms sales to Israel, but stopped short of potentially more significant measures at its annual conference.

The TUC's general council issued a statement on Wednesday condemning Israel's Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. General Secretary Frances O'Grady said the government's response to Israel's actions had been "unacceptable" and urged delegates to support the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Trade Union Friends of Israel (Tufi) director Steve Scott said there had been no significant change from the TUC's earlier position, but said it was outrageous that the statement had not highlighted Hamas rockets and other Gaza-based terrorist activity.

He said Israel supporters had feared delegates at the conference, held in Liverpool, would push for a split from the Israeli Histadrut union, or a possible expulsion from TUC for Tufi.