BRITISH trade unions expressed solidarity with Palestinians staging a historic general strike today, which saw shops shut across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Israel. 

Despite decades of attempts to fragment the Palestinian people geographically and politically, Israel faced a united front as tens of thousands withdrew their labour in protest at its occupation and ongoing bombardment of Gaza. 

Today trade unions in Britain lent their support to striking Palestinians. 

Unite said it stood in full solidarity with Palestinians in their protest against Israel’s brutal bombardment of the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people in just over a week. 

The union vowed to continue supporting sanctions against goods from Israel’s illegal settlements until it ends its “regime of institutionalised racist discrimination against the whole of the Palestinian population, amounting to the crime of apartheid.”

“We salute the Palestinians’ brave and courageous stand against these brutal attacks against them and stand with them in their fight for life, dignity and a free Palestine,” the union added. 

Postal workers’ union CWU general secretary Dave Ward told the Star: “We in the CWU send our solidarity to our friends in the Palestinian trade union movement, as they launch their historic general strike.

“The ongoing struggle of the Palestinian people for dignity and statehood is one of the core moral issues of the day.”

Unison head of international relations Nick Crook said: “Palestinians are striking in a desperate attempt to get the fighting to stop.

Unison fully supports them, and calls for an end to the violence and senseless loss of life.”

For the first time in decades, Palestinians living in Israel also joined the strike, causing disruption to hospitality, construction and transport services. 

Small protests also took place across Britain today, in London, Sheffield and Cambridge, to support striking Palestinians.