IN A historic session on Palestine yesterday, representatives of both the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and the Israeli Histadrut trade union centre addressed congress.
Speaking on behalf of Histadrut, Avi Bitchur said that he understood very well the problems of the Palestinians.
"We have many things in common to talk about around workers' rights, despite politics and despite international relations," he said.
"We want Israelis and Palestinians to live together in economic and social prosperity."
PGFTU speaker Mohammed Amara said that Palestinian workers faced massive problems.
"We have 68 per cent unemployed and 51 per cent of our people are living under poverty," he said.
"You can't imagine how our people are living and all of this was born of the occupation."
Mr Amara, who spent five years in Israeli jails, offered a greeting in Hebrew to the Histadrut delegation.
"This is our choice - justice, peace, equality and security for all," he said, urging the Israeli unions to follow up their commitment to agreements made as long ago as 1995.
STUC general secretary Bill Speirs said: "We regard this positive contact as an indicator of potential for future co-operation and we will do everything in our power to assist our trade union colleagues in working together for workers' rights and for justice, peace and security."
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