NAME CHANGE: Due to some requests, the name of the Sunday event at TUC HQ has been changed from “Shit Pump Sunday” to “Sewage Sunday”. It was pointed out that this might make the event more reportable in a family newspaper.
AND ALSO...
Labour’s NEC and the trade unionists that sit thereon have been invited to attend:
Wendy Nichols – Chair [Unison], Andi Fox – Vice Chair [TSSA], Diana Holland- Treasurer [Unite], Jane Taylor [Unite], Jim Kennedy [Unite], Keith Birch [Unison], Pauline McCarthy [Bakers], Andy Kerr [CWU], Sarah Owen [GMB], Cath Speight [GMB], Ian Murray [FBU], Mick Whelan [ASLEF], Joanne Cairns [USDAW] and Michael Wheeler [USDAW].
Many voted for the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism which means criticism of Israel now amounts to Jew-hating. The police are aware of the event. Many of the petition signers will be there. Will you be too?
I made a press statement, which says:
“Union leaders have been notified of Sunday’s event. When asked for comment, they will declare sewage pumping into Arab schools to be vile. But none will dare say it is a racist act, for to do so might brand them “anti-Semitic”. The key question they must answer is “When did they become Nakba Deniers?”. Perhaps they never knew that 70 years ago Israeli soldiers slew Arab children in village squares, the quicker to convince those children’s parents to depart. In what way is Israel NOT a racist endeavour? Why have union leaders let Netanyahu re-write their rule book to suit Israel’s needs?
The fact is that the Israeli state concocted the IHRA definition with US support. Why? For if we agree Israel is racist, that paves the way to sanctions, which is what Israelis fear most.
P.W. Botha could only have dreamt that his Afrikaners could wield the power that Zionists do in the UK, whereby they can break a politician’s reputation with the words “anti-Semite”. Dozens of Labourists and trade unionists are being disciplined for stating the blindingly obvious about Israel, with nary a word in the media. Settlers now know they can pump sewage into any Arab building and no-one in the world might criticise them as racists for so doing.
The witch-hunts and hypocrisy of our leftie leaders around their commitment to “anti-racism” while tacitly supporting racists is an affront to decent people - Jews, Muslims and every human with a sense of decency. It’s time to make it stop. Abandon the IHRA”
I'm still waiting to hear if a Palestinian will give me statement to read out. I have bought a megaphone, so hope there will be more than 10 people there. Above you can see a photo of the school and the kids in happier times.
OTHER NEWS
Later today I attend the "Labour Against the Witch-hunt" members meeting to pitch the motion at tinyurl.com/lawihramotion
It will really help our campaign if we win their support. Their sponsors include Ken Loach, Alexie Saile, Professor Moshé Machover (Israeli socialist and founder of Matzpen), Ian Hodson (president of the Bakers Union) and Noam Chomsky.
BTW This is a good film on Facebook: "What is Nakba?" See it here.
Cheers
Pete