British union passes anti-Israel motion

Britain’s biggest public services union called for international sanctions against Israel.The motion adopted by UNISON Wednesday at its annual conference wants the sanctions on Israel until it withdraws from all territories captured in 1967, removes the security barrier and establishes a Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem.According to the motion, the conference “believes that ending the occupation demands concerted and sustained pressure upon Israel including an economic, cultural, academic and sporting boycott.” The motion passed by a show of hands, with approximately two-thirds of the 2,000 delegates in attendance voting in favor, according to Mary McGuire, a spokeswoman for the union. McGuire said debate on the motion lasted more than an hour. UNISON has some 1.3 million members nationwide. The decision is the latest in a serious of boycott efforts against Israel emerging from Britain. Both the Conference of Presidents and the American Jewish Committee issued statements condemning the decision.