We Won't Let Them Halt This Movement

Newsletter – 03/05/24

We Won’t Let Them Halt This Movement

The global movement for peace, equality and justice for the Palestinians continues to grow as Israel finds itself more and more isolated on a daily basis. Turkey ceasing trade with Israel is an important step towards sidelining the genocidal state and the uprising on US university campuses has sparked a new wave of activity across the globe. That wave has been reflected here in the UK with the establishment of a host of occupations this week. These coincided with widespread action in workplaces around the country on #MayDay4Palestine this past Wednesday.

Stop the War sends its support and solidarity to all these occupations and calls on students around the country to escalate activity on campuses. We urge our local groups and activists to get down to their nearest occupation, with supplies if possible, to show solidarity.

Today, as election results come through it’s also clear that Palestine was very much on the ballot with independent candidates making significant gains, particularly in parts of the North West. If it wasn’t already, it should now be obvious to Keir Starmer that supporting genocide and bankrolling future wars risks any potential landslide in a general election. Labour must rethink its foreign policy as a whole and it should start by calling for end to arms export licenses to Israel.

The weapons being sold to Israel are causing untold harm. UNICEF’s Director warned this week that “nearly all of the some 600,000 children now crammed into Rafah are either injured, sick, malnourished, traumatized, or living with disabilities”. A simply horrifying state of affairs.

That’s why we cannot, and will not, let them halt our movement. In fact, we’re redoubling our efforts to deepen it. As we build towards another National Demonstration on Sat 18 May to mark the anniversary of the Nakba – when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced off their land to make way for the Israeli state – we are holding regional demonstrations, meetings and events (full list below) around the country.

In London, we are holding a special activists’ meeting on Thursday to build for the demo. The meeting will be addressed by students from the UCL encampment for Palestine. We urge other groups to organise similar meetings where possible.

Make sure you get involved and start organising now to make this the biggest possible display of solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Events in the Next 2 Weeks

Sat 4 May - Hackney Cavalcade for Palestine

Tues 7 May - Sheffield StWC Public Meeting: Can We Avoid Ever Widening Wars?

Weds 8 May - Brighton StWC Meeting: Israel, Palestine & Iran – The Threat of Wider War

Weds 8 May - Enfield Meeting: Palestinian Lives Matter

Thurs 9 May - StWC London Activists’ Meeting

Sat 11 May - Bristol Nakba March

Sat 11 May - North West March for Palestine

Tues 14 May - National Demonstration: Nakba 76 – End The Genocide – Stop Arming Israel

 Why War, Peace & Palestine Are Trade Union Issues – StWC TU Conf

May Day 2024 saw widespread action for Palestine as workers and students took to the streets and their campuses to step up demands for an end to the genocide in Gaza and the arming of Israel. Actions took place in schools, hospitals, offices, outside courts and through the centre of major cities, sending a message that we are with those suffering in Gaza. The movement must ensure this is another building block in widening the struggle for peace and justice in Palestine.

We call on all those involved to join the Stop the War Trade Union Conference on 8th June.

At the conference trade unionists from across the UK will be coming together to discuss the escalation of tensions across the globe and their experiences of building pro-Palestine initiatives in their unions and workplaces. Get your branch to support and send a delegation.