Motion passed 26th March 2024 by quorate branch meeting
Motion on Palestine Solidarity from UCU Greenwich
This branch notes:
The motion that we passed on 9th Nov, the statements by UCU national on Israel/Gaza 10th Oct, on education in Gaza 21st Nov and the continuing loss of life in Israel/Palestine.
This branch calls on:
All UCU members to sign the parliamentary petition calling for an immediate ceasefire, also sign parliamentary motions asking for the government to take action and create a visa scheme, donate to MAP Gaza Emergency Appeal if you can, support the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) e-action to reinstate UN relief funding, support #BoycottBarclays, and work to support Palestine education.
This branch resolves to:
Write to our management here at the University of Greenwich demanding they call out the ‘educide’ ongoing in Gaza, support a ceasefire, urgent humanitarian assistance, support for staff and students impacted both directly and indirectly and re-examine partnership and funding arrangements, investments and contractual links with governments, companies and institutions aiding and abetting Israel’s ‘plausibly genocidal acts’ in Gaza. Demand an explicit re- statement of the university’s support for academic freedom, the right of free speech, and the wellbeing of all staff regardless of, for example, ethnicity, religion, nationality or migrant status.
Write to the TPS pension scheme to re-examine any ties and links with governments, companies and institutions aiding and abetting Israel’s ‘plausibly genocidal acts’ in Gaza.
Encourage members to participate in, and legitimately support, protests, demonstrations and occupations in solidarity with Gaza, to publicise such events and initiatives,
Send delegations to legitimate protests, demonstrations and rallies wherever possible.
Work with the Greenwich Students Union (GSU) to support our students and build a stronger and more vocal action against this loss of life.
Motion passed 9th November 2023 by quorate branch meeting
The University of Greenwich branch of UCU holds that:
- In common with the international trade union movement, we are horrified by the current situation in Israel and the occupied Palestine territories and the continuing loss of thousands of lives, and we send our condolences and solidarity to all those impacted by these events.
- We condemn the massacre of civilians by both Hamas and Israel which has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. We condemn the kidnapping of 220+ hostages by Hamas in contravention of international law. We condemn the collective punishment of Palestinians by the Israeli government, which is leading to a humanitarian disaster in Gaza, with the deliberate blocking of food water, fuel and healthcare, and continued bombing leading to more loss of life and displacing over a million citizens who have already been subject to years of blockade. We condemn all attacks on hospitals and medical centres as war crimes. We condemn the destruction of all universities in Gaza and the loss of educational opportunities for all students.
- We call for an immediate end to hostilities on all sides, an end to the siege of Gaza, an end to the continued bombing and the threat of ground invasion. We call for the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors to allow for the supply of essential goods, energy and medical aid.
- We condemn in the strongest possible terms the targeting of civilian life by both Hamas and the Israeli military, and we also condemn instances of Antisemitism and Islamophobia that we have witnessed since the violence unfolded
- We believe in peaceful solutions to conflict and that this long-standing conflict can only have a just resolution through dialogue and respect for international law, including the end of the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and instead support for a two-state solution, with security for both Israel and Palestine and equal rights and labour rights for all in line with UN resolutions. We will support those voices on both sides of this conflict who have shown tremendous courage in promoting peace and dialogue and a just settlement and a democratic solution.
- We urge all parties, including the international community, to work to stop the bloodshed and to prevent the conflict escalating to other parts of the region. We call upon the British government and the international community to collectively call for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation. This must include an end to the blockade of Gaza by the Israeli military and their collective punishment of the Palestinians and a halt to further violence against civilians by Hamas, with the unconditional return of all hostages, before any more lives are lost. We need to recognise the right to free speech and the right to boycott and divest as demonstrated by the BDM movement.
- We need VCs in the UK including at the University of Greenwich to recognised and affirm the right to free speech on controversial issues and to offer targeted and specific support students affected the conflict and by antisemitism and islamophobia and racial discrimination.