Another reminder that there’s something rotten in Ireland when it comes to Israel:
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has become the first teaching union in Europe to endorse the call for an academic boycott of Israel as part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
A motion backing a boycott was unanimously passed at the TUI annual conference in Galway on Thursday.
The motion stated that the boycott of the “apartheid state” would not be lifted until Israel abides by UN resolutions and ends its illegal occupation of the West Bank and military and economic siege of Gaza.
Having seen previous reports about widespread Irish hostility to Israel, I can’t say I’m shocked by approval of the motion (which of course does nothing to help Palestinians). What does surprise me is that the vote was unanimous– that not one delegate could rise above the general level of ignorance to oppose it.
Here in the US, by contrast, the largest teachers’ unions– the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers– have not indulged in Israel-bashing. In fact the AFT adopted a resolution supporting Israel’s right to defend itself during the 2006 war with Hezbollah.
Some narrow-minded people might consider it paradoxical that the same union is helping members of a new Palestinian teachers’ union on the West Bank to develop their professional skills. It’s not, of course.
(Hat tip: TULIP)
Update: Commenter Conormel disputes reports of widespread Irish hostility to Israel and says the TUI is not among the largest teachers’ unions in Ireland.
