Labour movement conference launches Palestine campaign

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ference on Palestine organised Solidarity Campaign and the LMCP. The call for the conference lay among activists on this question of the enormous strength of Zionism in the British labour movement represented for example by organisations like the Labour Friends of Israel and recently-launched Trade Union Friends of Israel.

Despite overall change in attitudes at the base the represented for example by the resolution passeu at the 1982 which called conlerence for Palestinian selfthe fact act alon. remains that this issue is much less supported than other antililally imperialist causes. Zionist myths about Israel, the only Middle tast, the 'socialist' kibbutz and so on, deeply rooted the British labour movement.

This situation explained by Richard Balfe MEP, who described how he had been recruited to Labour Friends of Israel upon entering the House The person of Commons recruited him was lan Mikardo, a stalwart of the Labour left. At that time, explained Balfe, the left was associated with defence of Israel, while the right defectors John Cartwright and Christopher Mayhew were associated with sympathy the Arab cause' Balfe also explained Bernadette Mac*Aliskey had been 'leaned on' by left Labour MPs when she came into the Commons, stop supporting the Palestinian by the Palestine an increasing recognition cause, in return for their support on Ireland.

The myths of Labour Zionism were explained to the conference wellUri Davies Moshe Machover. Uri Davies also explained in detail the nature of Histadrut, allegedly the Israeli trade union federation, by in fact the second Israel and a fundamental pillar of Zionist state. Victim of the Sabra-Chatila massacre PLO the legitimate Palestinian people and for th expulsion of Poale Zion the Labour Poale Zion, the British af filiate of the Israeli Labour "socialist society' like the Fabians, and has representatives on uls, as well as the night to vote in the electoral college.

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ON 19 MAY nearly 100 delegates and more than 50 observers gathered for the Labour Movement Con-