IN A POWERFUL and urgent call to action, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) has declared a week of intensified global solidarity with the people of Palestine, condemning in the strongest terms what it labels ongoing “genocide and ethnic cleansing” perpetrated by the “murderous Zionist state of Israel.”
WFTU, a global trade union body representing millions of workers across the globe, made the declaration, in a statement dated September 9, 2025, emphasising that it is in response to the Israeli government’s announced escalation of military operations aimed at the full occupation of the Gaza Strip.
The WFTU frames the decision as the latest in a decades-long litany of crimes against humanity and a blatant violation of international law by Israel.
“The cynicism and provocativeness of the Israeli state is maintained and fuelled by the tolerance and unconditional support of the US and its allies in the EU and NATO,” WFTU stated, accusing Western powers of being complicit in the aggression despite recent diplomatic gestures.
The statement paints a harrowing picture of the human cost of the conflict, citing figures of over 65,000 Palestinians killed and 150,000 injured over the past two years.
Emphasising that the vast majority of casualties are civilians, including children, women, healthcare workers, journalists, and aid personnel, WFTU condemns the use of hunger as a weapon of war and the expansion of “terrorist activities” in the West Bank, including murders, arrests, and the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land.
It also raises alarm over the revival of plans to forcibly displace the population of Gaza to make way for development projects, described as building a “Middle East Riviera” over the “homes and dead bodies of Palestinians.”
A Call to the Frontlines of Solidarity
Asserting that “the working class will not remain silent,” the WFTU called on its affiliates, friends, and all workers worldwide to participate in a Global Week of Solidarity from Monday, September 15 to Monday, September 22, 2025.
WFTU outlined a series of direct actions for the weeklong solidarity campaign, including organising mass demonstrations, rallies, and mobilisations in public squares and streets globally; blocking arms shipments destined for Israel; participating in, and strengthening, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns.
“Our message is crystal clear: the heroic Palestinian people are not alone in their struggle,” the statement affirms, adding: “We are proud that the flags of Palestine have been flying alongside those of the WFTU from the very beginning.”
According to WFTU, the week of action is designed to send a unified, global demand for an immediate end to Israel’s military action in Gaza and the withdrawal of the Israeli army to its bases; an end to attacks and terrorist acts by the Israeli army and illegal settlers in the West Bank; an immediate end to the murderous blockade of Gaza and the guarantee of unimpeded humanitarian aid under international supervision.
The federation vows to continue its struggle until the Palestinian people are free and living in peace, calling on the world to march under the slogans: “NO TO GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING” and “FREE PALESTINE”
