Medical residents and the Israeli Finance Ministry signed an agreement on 8 December, bringing to an end a long-running dispute which has brought Israel's medical system to crisis point.

Company in Israel cuts prices, freezes executive pay and gives pay rises to the lowest paid workers

The Strauss Group in Israel announced a number of changes recently in response to the social protests across Israel over the summer. The changes include lowering prices on 36 products, a wage freeze for 25 senior executives and pay increasesfor its lowest paid workers.

The Fire Brigades Union builds bridges with the Histadrut and the Nablus Municipality Fire Department

It has been reported that the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) helped the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in the UK with a project to deliver humanitarian aid to the Nablus Municipality Fire Department.

General strike in Israel set to shut down airports, banks and schools

The Histadrut (Israeli TUC) has announced a general strike to start today (6 November), which could see airports, ports, banks and the stock market close. Talks with the Government have so far failed to produce an agreement over the status of contract workers.

The Histadrut wants the Government to hire some 250,000 contract workers, who currently have inferior working conditions to employees directly on the Government’s payroll. Talks over the weekend failed to find an agreement, although Finance Ministry officials agreed that employment terms for contract workers needed to be improved.

Ofer Eini, the Chairman of the Histadrut, said the strike would be “unlimited” and that only a court injunction would prevent it from going ahead.

TUC votes to “review” relations with Israeli organisations

The TUC passed a motion on 14 September calling on its affiliates to review any bilateral relations with Israeli organisations. An amendment, which was proposed by the PCS union, stated that unions should review their relations with all Israeli organisations, including the Histadrut (Israeli TUC).

The move risks isolating the TUC from any active role in developing union solidarity between the Histadrut and the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGTFU), and could also hamper Britain’s role at the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), of which the Histadrut and PGFTU are both respected members.

However, despite the widespread criticism of the TUC’s naive approach, the director of TUFI, Steve Scott, has said that the “review” should be taken as an opportunity for trade unions in the UK to learn more about the great work the Histadrut is doing representing workers in Israel, co-operating with Palestinian trade unions and encouraging the Israeli government to enter into negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.

Speaking after the TUC Congress, Mr Scott said: “Israel has a strong trade union movement. Over the last few years, the Histadrut has negotiated a five percent wage rise for all public sector workers and pension cover for the entire private sector workforce. I call on all UK unions to bring their Israeli counterparts to the UK to learn more about Israeli trade unionism as well as their work for peace with the Palestinians”.

Palestinians present their unilateral statehood motion to the UN

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has submitted a request to the United Nations Security Council for a non-negotiated Palestinian state, despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeating that he is willing to hold direct negotiations.

The Security Council is currently considering the request although the United States has said it will use its position as a permanent member of the council to veto the bid. Addressing world leaders at the opening of the UN General Assembly session on 21 September, US President Barack Obama said that peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians will come about through negotiation, not resolutions at the UN. He asserted that:

“There is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace is hard work. Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations... Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live side by side, ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians – not us – who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on refugees and Jerusalem.” (21/09/11)

The Middle East Quartet (EU, UN, US and Russia) is in the process of trying to formulate a framework for resumed peace negotiations that can earn the trust of both sides.

TUFI TUC 2010 Fringe Event: "What can Trade Unions do to Aid Peace?"

TUFI is holding a fringe event during this year’s TUC Congress in London. The event is titled “What can Trade Unions do for a lasting peace?” and will take place on Monday 12 September 2011 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at the Bloomsbury Tavern (London WC2H 8EG), two minutes walk from Congress House.

Israelis stage mass protests over rising living costs

At least a quarter of a million Israelis have staged marches over the last few weeks over the rising cost of living. The largest protests have been in Tel Aviv where police said at least 200,000 people took to streets on 6 August.

In one of the biggest waves of protests in decades in Israel, demonstrators are demanding government action to reduce the cost of housing and food. Some protesters have also set up camp in city centres.

Israeli doctors and medical trainees go on strike

Israeli doctors and medical students began a strike on 13 July to protest against a deal being drafted between the Finance Ministry and the Israel Medical Association (IMA).

UNISON turns its back on Palestinian advice

Unison has decided to sever relations with Israeli unions.

Fatah and Hamas agree reconciliation deal ahead of new elections within a year

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement agreed a historic reconciliation deal with the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hamas militant movement on 27 April.

STUC say that Histadrut should not be boycotted

The STUC’s General Council has called for the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) not to be boycotted.

ITF launch new border crossing project for Palestinian drivers

The International Transport Federation (ITF) has launched a new initiative aimed to improve the lives of Palestinian drivers.

ITUC calls for workers’ pact for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called for a comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine.

Guardian and Al Jazeera publish leaked documents detailing how close peace negotiations have come to succeeding

The Guardian newspaper and Qatar-based Al Jazeera news network began on 24 January to publish extracts from documents allegedly leaked from the Palestinian Authority’s Negotiation Support Unit.

Last-minute compromise averts Israel general strike

Peace Talks

A general strike by Israel’s public sector workers was averted after the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) and the Israeli Finance Ministry reached a last-minute agreement in the early hours of the morning on 2 November.

Israeli prime minister says he will work with the US to ensure peace talks continue

Peace Talks

Speaking to his cabinet on 24 October Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that he was working with the US to try and ensure that peace negotiations with the Palestinians continue, asserting that he aimed “not just to resume the process, but to advance it in such a way that it cannot be halted in a few weeks or months”.

International Trade Union Confederation rejects calls to boycott Israel

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has rejected calls for boycotts against Israel. At its second world congress, held in Vancouver from 21-25 June 2010, a vehemently anti-Israel resolution submitted by the Congress of South African Trade Unions never made it to the conference floor.

The Histadrut calls for restriction on Gaza to be lifted

The Histadrut (Israeli TUC) has called for Israeli restrictions on Gaza to be lifted "in the shortest possible time frame".

First round of Middle East indirect peace talks completed

Hillary Clinton Indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are finally under way after months of political deadlock. The first round of talks ended with the United States (US) confirming its envoy George Mitchell would return to the region within weeks.