Text of leaflet by Socialist Alternative
After a year of genocidal slaughter in Gaza, the Middle East is plunging further into the abyss. The Israeli government is now pushing for an all-out regional war, with its devastating and brutal invasion of Lebanon aiming to set the whole region on fire. Starmer’s government, like the Tories before, cries crocodile tears over civilian deaths but ultimately backs Israel to the hilt.
One year of historic protests – but not enough!
For almost a year, we have marched in our thousands and millions to demand an end to Israel’s genocidal war, yet it has only continued to escalate.
While these protests have been historic, it is clear that demonstrations on their own won’t be enough to force the government to withdraw its support for the Israeli state’s war. Labour represent the interests of Britain’s ruling class, which is completely subservient to US imperialism, and whose top priority is to maintain its imperialist interests in the Middle East. This means backing up their Israeli allies, including a potential attack on Iran, and continuing to provide the arms, technology and intel that Netanyahu’s onslaught relies on. Not in our name.
Working-class action needed
While British-based arms factories churn out parts for the Israeli state’s murderous campaign, nothing is built or transported without the working class. By taking collective action, we have the power to grind the arms industry – and the whole capitalist system – to a halt.
The Trade Union Congress, which represents over 6 million organised workers, agreed at its September conference to demand an end to all arms trade with Israel. This should be acted upon immediately!
The RMT and other transport workers’ unions could organise rail and dock workers to refuse to transport Israeli weapons, following the example set by workers in Italy and South Africa who took similar action last year. Unions like Unite and the GMB, which organise workers in the arms factories, could organise workers to halt the production of arms themselves. Meanwhile, the whole trade union movement should put its full weight behind the movement to stop the war.
Our unions must go beyond loyally pressuring the Labour government. Only through struggle against this government can we force them to act. We saw a glimpse of this in Labour’s recent pay awards for workers, conceded out of fear of the threat of strikes.
Building a working-class opposition with a strategy to win will mean building mass pressure from below, fighting within our unions to turn words into action and build an independent struggle. On that basis we can undermine Britain’s role in fuelling the war machine and point the way forward for Palestine solidarity and anti-war movements around the world.
We need to step up the movement in Britain and internationally against the war of extermination in Gaza, and Netanyahu’s escalation in Lebanon. We need to confront and ultimately overthrow all of the capitalist and imperialist governments driving us headlong toward a world of war. In the Middle East itself, there is a strong tradition of struggle – from Palestine to Lebanon, to the explosive ‘Woman, Life, Freedom” movement against the regime in Iran.
Last month’s general strike demanding a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal in Israel itself, in which Jewish and Arab workers participated, hints at the potential that still exists, even despite this horrific bloodshed and the wave of Israeli nationalist reaction, to build united working-class action that can threaten bloodsoaked Israeli capitalism at home.
The only way to end the bloodshed and win a lasting, democratic peace is to build a united struggle of workers, the poor and oppressed across the region against all imperialist aggression, and for a socialist Middle East, where the rights of all national communities can be guaranteed.
- For workers’ action against war and imperialism! Unions should call on members to refuse to handle any weapons and technology destined for use in the genocidal onslaught.
- End all arms licenses to Israel. For trade unions to suspend all funds to Labour if it refuses to act on the call of the TUC!
- We need a new left party, based on struggle and fighting for socialist policies!
- Nationalise the arms industry under democratic workers’ control – for an immediate transition toward socially-useful production with no loss of jobs or pay
- For a socialist, independent Palestine alongside socialist change in Israel and across the region – for a socialist Middle East, an end to poverty, and for the defence of the rights of all national communities
