Resolution on Israel’s War on Gaza
Virginia Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators (VCORE)
Whereas since October 7, 2023, the state of Israel has significantly intensified its attacks on the Palestinian people by subjecting 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza to unprecedented bombardment resulting in the murder of more than 27,478 people (including more than 10,000 children), the injuring of more than 66,835 people, and the displacement of more than 1.9 million people (80% of Gaza’s total population);
Whereas the state of Israel has not limited its attacks to the people of Gaza, having unleashed settler violence on Palestinians in the West Bank and a mass arrest campaign throughout Palestine;
Whereas the Palestinian labor movement – including the General Union of Palestinian Teachers – has called upon the workers of the world to take collective action to halt the Israeli government’s genocidal war against the people of Gaza and its illegal occupation of Palestine;
Whereas the U.S. government provides billions of dollars in military aid to the Israeli government as well as military weapons and intelligence, thereby further enabling the ongoing oppression and genocide of the Palestinian people;
Whereas VCORE stands against all forms of exploitation and oppression, and locates the root cause of racial and national oppression within the global system of capitalist-imperialism;
Whereas VCORE aims “to forge bonds of solidarity among our fellow workers beyond borders and across all sectors and industries, raising awareness of and providing material support for class struggles erupting in all nations of the world,” standing within the proud tradition of working-class internationalism; and
Whereas educators have an ethical duty to stand on the side of truth, freedom, justice, and equality, and to defend the lives of children everywhere, including the children of Palestine.
VCORE believes that:
Be it resolved that VCORE:
Virginia Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators (VCORE)
Whereas since October 7, 2023, the state of Israel has significantly intensified its attacks on the Palestinian people by subjecting 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza to unprecedented bombardment resulting in the murder of more than 27,478 people (including more than 10,000 children), the injuring of more than 66,835 people, and the displacement of more than 1.9 million people (80% of Gaza’s total population);
Whereas the state of Israel has not limited its attacks to the people of Gaza, having unleashed settler violence on Palestinians in the West Bank and a mass arrest campaign throughout Palestine;
Whereas the Palestinian labor movement – including the General Union of Palestinian Teachers – has called upon the workers of the world to take collective action to halt the Israeli government’s genocidal war against the people of Gaza and its illegal occupation of Palestine;
Whereas the U.S. government provides billions of dollars in military aid to the Israeli government as well as military weapons and intelligence, thereby further enabling the ongoing oppression and genocide of the Palestinian people;
Whereas VCORE stands against all forms of exploitation and oppression, and locates the root cause of racial and national oppression within the global system of capitalist-imperialism;
Whereas VCORE aims “to forge bonds of solidarity among our fellow workers beyond borders and across all sectors and industries, raising awareness of and providing material support for class struggles erupting in all nations of the world,” standing within the proud tradition of working-class internationalism; and
Whereas educators have an ethical duty to stand on the side of truth, freedom, justice, and equality, and to defend the lives of children everywhere, including the children of Palestine.
VCORE believes that:
- These latest attacks are a continuation of more than 75 years of Israeli crimes committed against the Palestinian people, including belligerent occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid;
- Israel’s actions and escalation are enabled and facilitated by the impunity afforded it by the international community–particularly the U.S. government–who provide it with the weapons, machinery, and technology to maintain its illegal occupation and to undertake its attacks;
- As members of the labor movement we must always stand on the side of truth, freedom, and justice, both in word and in deed; and
- Lobbying our governments and issuing statements must be coupled with labor action, ensuring that we are practically contributing to the struggle for Palestinian liberation.
Be it resolved that VCORE:
- Calls on President James J. Fedderman of the Virginia Education Association (VEA) and President Becky Pringle of the National Education Association (NEA) to publicly: (1) oppose the Biden administration sending billions of dollars in military aid to Israel to continue its genocidal war against the Palestinian people (much of which comes from U.S. workers’ paychecks in taxes, and which could otherwise go to rebuilding our public education system), and (2) call on the U.S. government to immediately issue a call for a permanent ceasefire and condemn Israel’s bombing and ground invasion of Gaza and the intensification of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank;
- Encourages the workers of Virginia – one of the largest providers of armaments bound for Israel – to refuse to build and handle weapons destined for Israel and to support fellow workers who refuse to transport weapons to Israel; and
- Will research and analyze our public education system’s contractual agreements to ensure we are not doing business with companies involved in implementing Israel’s brutal and illegal siege of Gaza and genocide of the Palestinian people.