ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle on a solidarity visit with the workers of Israel.

Last week, the Histadrut hosted Luc Triangle, the ITUC General Secretary, on a solidarity visit to Israel, during which he met with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, the Family of the Hostages Forum, workers from significantly affected communities, Histadrut leadership, and the Chairman of HaAvoda (the Israeli Labor Party).

“I also saw signs of hope among young people and in workplaces where Jewish, Arab, Christian and Palestinian workers come together and organise their trade union activities.“

Luc Triangle

His first meeting arriving in Tel Aviv was with a returned hostage and a family member of other hostages. He heard the returned hostage’s story of being abducted with her husband by Hamas terrorists, and the inhumane treatment she received by the terrorist who kept her captive. She also shared her deep concerns for the health and safety of her husband and the other 119 who remain in Hamas captivity. Following the conversation, he visited the Hostages’ Square.

On a visit to the south, with Avital Shapira-Shabirow, Director of International Relations, and Or Ratzabi, Trade Union Secretary from NOAL and Histadrut Youth representative for ITUC-AP, Luc visited the Kerem Shalom Check Point. He heard from its workers about their extended work in processing delivery trucks of food supplies and humanitarian aid whilst continuously being under Hamas missile attacks and many of them are being robbed by the terrorist organization of Hamas inside of the Gaza Strip. They continued to the Nova site and to Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where Luc saw the remains of the terror attack and a monument commemorating the victims from the festival. Luc also met with workers of the Sderot Strauss factory, an important enterprise of Israel’s food security, which has been operating under constant missile attacks and with many of its workers being displaced from their homes.

In Jerusalem, President Isaac Herzog shared his views on the future of peace in Israel with Luc, a message that was also echoed in meetings with Yair Golan, Chairman of the Ha’Avoda party, and members of the Histadrut leadership. He also heard from NOAL members in the Arab-Israeli branch in Jaffa about their grassroots work toward coexistence and peace.

Avital Shapira-Shabirow, Director of International Relations of the Histadrut, and the team of the International Relations division coordinated his visit. In addition to the above, Luc also visited Yad Vashem, met with workers from the Jerusalem City Municipality Employees’ Committee and Ichilov Hospital Employees’ Committee (where he met, inter alia, Palestinian doctors and patients), and met Amit Ben Zur, CEO of Arlozorov Forum of the Histadrut. 

Avital concluded the visit, saying: “It was important that the ITUC General Secretary saw firsthand the atrocities of October 7 that caused the eruption of this current Gaza war, witnessed the humanitarian aid which is transferred to the Gaza Strip which is not reflected in the global media and social media and, above all, was able to speak with the Israeli workers, trade unionists and grassroots regarding their commitment to the protection of workers’ rights, democracy and coexistence in the workplaces, and, above all, their call to release all the hostages, cease the war and resume the peace process, tranquility and hope in our region.”  

At the end of the visit, Luc said: “During a visit to the hostage rehabilitation unit in Tel Aviv, I heard from a 65 year-old woman about what she went through during 52 days of being held hostage. I also met a grandson whose life now turns around getting his grandfather freed after his grandmother was already released. I went to the border between Israel, Egypt and Gaza and witnessed the supply of trucks carrying food and material to the Gaza strip. I went to the kibbutz Kfar Aza and the Nova music festival grounds where hundreds of people lost their lives during the atrocities….

But I also saw signs of hope among young people and in workplaces where Jewish, Arab, Christian and Palestinian workers come together and organise their trade union activities. All of them expressed the deep wish for peace, security and the end of all violence. They all wished for a future where freedoms, rights and democracy prevail. The ITUC supports all political actors and Histadrut that want to work in that direction…

It is imperative also that the international community steps up to facilitate dialogue and develop a roadmap to finally bring peace and balance. Building trust again cannot be left alone to the Israelis and the Palestinians; the world needs to step up and act…

The ITUC is convinced that trade unions can and should be gamechangers in the current difficult context. Trade unions should lead the way. We will continue to work with our two affiliates in Israel and Palestine, Histadrut and the PGFTU, towards a sustainable solution of peace founded on the principles of human rights, security, respect, freedoms and democracy, ensuring a viable two-state solution.” These remarks were published on the ITUC website.

After the 7^th of October, the Histadrut received many solidarity calls from its partners worldwide. But as the war continues, many in the trade union community seem to neglect Hamas’s continuing perpetration of terror against Israelis and their atrocious role in orchestrating a warzone that deliberately exploits Palestinians as human shields and social services such as hospitals and schools as terror operations centers. As the largest social movement in Israel, the Histadrut is committed to rehabilitating the Israeli society in its recovery from the largest terror attack it experienced, and to promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians. All Histadrut global partners are welcome to learn of our efforts from a firsthand perspective and support our vision for peace.