How labour unions in Europe can help end Israel’s genocide in Gaza
People march with a banner reading ‘Stop genocide, free Palestine’ during a strike and rally called by the CGIL trade union as part of a nationwide day of mobilisation across sectors, in Ravenna, Italy on 19 September 2025
Samer Jaber writes in Al Jazeera on 2 November 2025:
A ceasefire has been in effect in Gaza since October 10, but Israel has not stopped its brutal violence. In the span of three weeks, it has killed more than 220 Palestinians. On Tuesday, it massacred more than 100 people in 24 hours. Israel continues to refuse to let in the amount of aid agreed in the ceasefire. It is blocking materials and equipment for reconstruction and large-scale medical evacuations.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers and settlers continue to attack the Palestinian people and their property with impunity. They have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including 213 children, since October 7, 2023. Just on October 16, Israeli soldiers shot dead a nine-year-old child while he was playing football with friends.
A ceasefire clearly will not stop the killing as long as Israel receives political, military and logistical support from the West to continue its occupation and colonisation of Palestine. Two years of street protests throughout the world have sought to pressure governments to reverse their position on Israel, but they have failed to achieve significant change.
Large-scale labour mobilisation may be the answer. Labour unions, particularly in Europe, are uniquely positioned to play a central role in undermining their governments’ support for Israel. Given the active trade between Israel and European countries and the logistical significance of European ports, workers in many sectors could make a difference by organising for Palestine.
Why labour action is a powerful tool
Over the past two years, millions of people have marched across Europe, yet governments have largely ignored calls to end all support for Israel. Even the Irish government, despite its vocal support for Palestinian rights, engages in large-scale trade with Israel. Ireland was Israel’s third largest importer in 2024.