Lerner to ITUC: Your Silence on Israel’s Tragedy is a Dereliction of Duty

The Director General of the International Relations Division of the Histadrut, Peter Lerner, commented today on ITUC’s response to Hamas’ 7th October attack on Israel.

While the ITUC‘s call for peace and dialogue might seem noble on the surface, it remains a grossly inadequate response given the realities on the ground. The glaring omission of the specific challenges faced by people in Israel is a testament to the ITUC and Global Union Federations’ neglectful attitude. Their failure to distinctly address and advocate for the Israeli workers in the midst of this chaos speaks volumes about their misplaced priorities. The catastrophic terror attack that resulted in the merciless murder of more than 700 people isn’t just a mere footnote in the annals of the region’s history. It demands unequivocal condemnation and a dedicated response. A generic call for peace in the aftermath of such a horrifying event is not just bland, but it also trivializes the depth of the tragedy. By drawing ambiguous moral equivalencies and refusing to address the stark differences in the scale and nature of attacks, the ITUC and the Global Union Federations demonstrate an alarming degree of moral bankruptcy. Their response, or rather their lack thereof, to such a large-scale, unprecedented act of terror is a betrayal to those they claim to represent. It’s imperative for the workers’ movement to recalibrate their stance and stay true to their core mission of safeguarding workers and their rights, irrespective of geopolitical considerations. Anything less is a dereliction of their duty.

https://x.com/LTCPeterLerner/status/1711360554076459277?s=20