Anti-Israel boycott sparks trade union debate

On Aug. 28, New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. attacked British unions for supporting a boycott of Israel. The Chief, an influential weekly newspaper that covers civil service unions and is widely read by New York City civil service union members and New York City politicians, published an article in the Sept. 7th edition about Comptroller Thompson’s action. The article included a statement of praise for Thompson’s action that was issued by Jewish Labor Committee (JLC) President Stuart Appelbaum.

The statements of Thompson and Appelbaum, as printed in The Chief, have unwittingly initiated a long-sought dialogue in the union movement over the question of Israel. The AFL-CIO support for Israel has been in lock step with U.S. foreign policy for more than a half century. Historically, union members could only expect a full frontal political attack upon even raising the issue at a union meeting. Union leaders who have dared to speak out against Zionism have been hounded out of office. For all these years the “P- word” (P for Palestine) has been a forbidden subject on the union floor.

What happened next must have really shocked Comptroller Thompson and JLC President Appelbaum and all the supporters of Israel in the New York City labor movement. The Chief received and published a letter in the Oct.19 issue from four New York City trade unionists—Mike Letwin, Brenda Stokely, Larry Adams and Marty Goodman—defending the international union boycott of Israel.

Their letter states, “This boycott—many of whose supporters are Jewish—DOES NOT target Israel for its ethnicity, but for theft and colonization of Arab lands, denial of equality to Arab-Palestinians in Israel, and violation of Palestinian Refugees’ right to return home. ... Moreover, apartheid Israel is sponsored by the U.S. ... U.S. trade-union officialdom is a shameful accomplice, and tries to silence union members who oppose this apartheid regime. ... Ending this support would strike a critical blow against war and racism—abroad and at home.”

In response to the letter from these unionists supporting the Israel boycott, two more letters in The Chief were printed in the Oct. 26 edition. One of the two letters came from Stuart Leibowitz, president of the District Council 37, AFSCME Retirees Association. As expected, the letter from Retirees Association President Leibowitz contained all the usual Zionist rhetoric about “besieged and surrounded” Israel and was titled “Ganging up on Israel.”

The other letter printed by The Chief was written by Mike Gimbel, a delegate to the New York City Central Labor Council from Local 375, one of the largest unions in District Council 37. Gimbel stated that he is “a Jewish trade unionist who supports the just struggle of the Palestinian people and the boycott of Israel.” The heading for the letter was “A Call for Dialogue.” Gimbel’s letter went on to state: “The issue of the boycott of Israel can’t be allowed to be pushed under the rug. The issue of Zionism is central to almost every political conflict in the Middle-East. U.S. foreign policy for over a half-century is wedded to the ideology and strategy of Zionism. ... Let’s have a dialogue on the rise of anti-Semitism but most importantly, engage the labor movement in a dialogue about Palestinian human rights and the right of return. Let’s not cover up the U.S. sponsored crimes of Zionism.” Gimbel’s letter concludes with the following statement: “Isn’t it about time that our unions set up forums where both sides can be heard? That’s what I actually did in my union chapter many years ago. Unity cannot be achieved by silencing our Palestinian and Middle-Eastern members. Let’s follow the old and true union motto: ‘In unity there is strength.’”

• Trade unionist denounces Zionism