The World Federation of Trade Unions issued the following call on April 13, 2012:
Dear Colleagues,
Today in Israeli prisons there are 4,600 Palestinians imprisoned militants. Of these:
560 have been convicted to life imprisonment by Israeli courts. 220 are children. 24 are Members of the Parliament. 204 prisoners have died in Israeli prisons.
Among the prisoners there are great Palestinians and Arab militants who have dedicated their lives to the struggle of the Palestinian People to get their own independent homeland.
The WFTU from the first day of its establishment is firmly on the side of the Palestinian People.
On April 17th is the International Day of Action for Palestinian people for the release of all prisoners in Israeli jails. All of those militants kept illegally and undemocratically by the imperialists and their organs.
For years now the International Organizations are limited to words. They show indifference. They allow the government of Israel to kill, to imprison, and to terrorize the people of the region.
The WFTU in a joint meeting with the GUPW held recently in Ramallah decided to call upon all our affiliates and friends to act on April 17. To submit statements to the Israeli embassies in their countries, as well as international organizations and to demand the immediate release of all the militants from Israeli prisons.
We ask you all to act. To express active solidarity with the best possible way. All together on April 17 calling for:
– The immediate release of all political prisoners kept unfairly in Israeli prisons.
– To stop the settlement activity and the dismantling of the settlements.
– The immediate lifting of the unfair and inhumane blockade of Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from all occupied territories, which is there since 1967, including the Golan Height and the Shebaa area of southern Lebanon.
– The demolition of the racist wall.
– The creation of an independent, democratic and truly free Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homeland.
– The international community to undertake its responsibilities and to implement all decisions of the United Nations and the Security Council!
Send your protest letters, photos and statements to the following e-mail addresses:
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
– UN Human Rights Council: [email protected]– Israeli Foreign Minister: [email protected]-High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: [email protected]
