TUFI’s monthly update looks at important trade union issues in Israel and the Palestinian territories, the Middle East Peace Process, regional developments, domestic Israeli and Palestinian affairs and primary issues affecting British trade union policy on Israel

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, which will lead to the forming of an interim government ahead of a general election within a year.

The deal was made in Cairo following a series of secret meetings. According to the Egyptian intelligence service, which facilitated the unity talks, the deal makes arrangements for a transitional government, security arrangements and the restructuring of the Palestine Liberation Organisation to allow Hamas to join it.

Speaking from Cairo, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar asserted that: “Our plan does not involve negotiations with Israel or recognising it... It will be impossible for an interim government to take part in the peace process with Israel.”

Since seizing control of Gaza in 2007 Hamas has refused to let any new Palestinian elections take place. Hamas’ founding charter calls for the destruction of Israel and rejects all peaceful solutions. The EU, US and Israel consider Hamas a terrorist organisation due to the hundreds of people it has killed through bombings, suicide bombings, small arms and rocket, missile and mortar attacks. The Quartet principles of engagement with Hamas, enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 1850 of 2008, dictate that the Middle East Quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia) will not engage with Hamas unless it renounces violence, recognises Israel and abides by previous Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements.

STUC say that Histadrut should not be boycotted

The STUC’s General Council has called for the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) not to be boycotted. It has been reported that an extreme anti-Israel fringe group at the recent STUC Congress had called for the Israeli trade union federation to be boycotted as a way of trying to impede the on-going positive co-operation between Israeli and Palestinian trade unions. However, the General Council ruled that it would be wrong to boycott a fellow trade union body.

The Histadrut maintains a good relationship with the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) as well as labour movements in other countries and is affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

In 2008 the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) and the Palestine General Federation of Trades Unions (PGFTU) signed an agreement to base future relations on negotiation, dialogue and joint initiatives to advance “fraternity and co-existence”. This has led to a number of other historic agreements between unions representing major sectors - such as Transport and Construction - in the two sides' intertwined economies.

The Histadrut unites thousands of union members in one organisation regardless of religion, race or gender. Arab workers have been admitted to the organisation with full membership since 1960 and it currently has over 200,000 Arab members.

Thousands of doctors protest at the Israeli Parliament

Over 2,500 Israeli doctors staged a large protest on 27 April 2011 in front of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) as part of their battle for higher wages.

On 26 April, a meeting between representatives from the Finance Ministry and those of the Israel Medical Association ended without an agreement, with doctors rejecting a 20% pay raise, saying it is just 1% higher than a previously rejected offer.

Israeli doctors, who last staged a strike in 2000, have been negotiating with the government for better work conditions for more than eight months.

Israeli cabinet approves minimum wage rise

The Israeli cabinet approved the latest increase to the minimum wage on 8 May to NIS 4,100 a month from the current NIS 3,890.25. The next stage of the minimum wage increase to NIS 4,300 will come into effect in October next year.

The minimum wage rise is part of an agreement between the Ministry of Finance, the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) and the Economic Organisations Liaison Committee. It is based on a collective labour agreement signed in January this year.

Thousands march in Tel Aviv on May Day

Israeli-Arab and Jewish workers from around Israel marched on 30 April in Tel Aviv to mark Labour Day and demonstrate solidarity with fellow workers in Israel, Palestine and around the world.

Ed Miliband says that Hamas’ remarks condemning the death of Osama Bin Laden are “deeply regrettable”

Responding to Prime Minister David Cameron’s House of Commons statement on 3 May on the death of Bin Laden, Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband called on the prime minister to “make efforts to restart the Middle East peace process,” and asserted that Hamas’ comments condemning the death of Bin Laden and calling him a “holly warrior” were “deeply regrettable”.

Brendan Barber: Iraq's union crackdown puts progress at risk

The General Secretary of the TUC has written an article for the Guardian this week arguing that trade unions are a vital antidote to authoritarianism and sectarianism in Iraq and warning that the government seemed determined to break them up. Read the full article here.

UN report accuses Iran of illegally exporting arms to Syria

The United Nations (UN) has reported that the Iranian regime has violated a UN arms export ban. Six of the nine violations have been to Syria, with the illegally exported arms “carefully concealed” to avoid inspection and to hide the identity of the end user. The report, showed to the Wall Street Journal, also states that “It is likely that other transfers took place undetected and that other illicit shipments were identified but not reported”. Iran supplies both Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon with weapons, often routed through Syria.

World Ambassadors think Israelis are funny and complex

A number of ambassadors stationed in Israel have put together a video to wish Israelis a happy 63rd anniversary and to tell them what they think of Israel. You can watch the video here.