Unions call for a general strike this Wednesday against the Palestinian genocide.

PalmThe unions CGT, CIS, Alternativa Docente, CNT, SOMOS Sindicalistas, FIST, and STEI have called a general strike for this Wednesday to demand an end to the genocide in Palestine and "against employment, apartheid, and the ethnic cleansing being carried out by the Zionist entity (Israel) both in Gaza" and in Gaza. Students from the UIB will also strike, under the slogan "Carot, enough complicity. Let's stop it all!" The students will gather in front of the rector's office at 12:00 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., a demonstration open to everyone will be held in Palma, at the same time in Ciutadella, and at 7:00 p.m. in Ibiza.

They are calling for an end to the aggression against Gaza and the prosecution of those responsible for war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court. Along the same lines, they demand the opening of an unrestricted humanitarian corridor in the Gaza Strip. "Hunger cannot be used as a weapon of war," they say. The unions also point out that "NATO's warmongering" cannot lead to cuts in healthcare, education, or public services. They also demand that Spain sever all ties with Israel.

It's worth remembering that Israel and Gaza recently signed a ceasefire agreement, which, as of Monday, has enabled the return of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas and will also allow for the release of 2,000 Palestinians by Israel. "At this point, it gives us a glimmer of hope that the situation can improve, but we must be more vigilant than ever, pressuring our governments to be vigilant and enforce them," the unions state. Even so, the strike organizers express doubt that the Netanyahu government will comply with the agreement.

Risk of non-compliance

According to them, the State of Israel systematically violates all the agreements it signs, including ceasefires with Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, while continuing to bomb civilian territories and populations daily. Since the latest ceasefire came into effect, they say, the Israeli army has intensified its indiscriminate attacks, with constant images of tanks firing on unarmed populations and an escalation of "growing violence" in the West Bank. The organizers also warn of "very worrying" signs pointing to a possible new Israeli military offensive, coordinated with the United States and its NATO allies, this time directed against Iran.

The strike call is, according to the unions behind it, "more necessary than ever" in light of the global escalation of war and, especially, that suffered by the Palestinian people. They believe this context is driving widespread rearmament, which entails a regressive redistribution of public spending to the detriment of social services and the working class, and which simultaneously fuels the rise of fascism. "Let us not fool ourselves," they assert, "the fight against Zionism and its accomplices is the same fight against fascism and all its necessary collaborators within the governments and institutions of our country." The organizers emphasize that they have mobilized and organized alongside civil society organizations, other unions, and solidarity groups to "bring the cries of the children and workers of Gaza to the governments and streets," as their fellow Palestinian unionists have requested, with the goal of achieving an effective and supportive international response.

This Wednesday, UGT and CCOO, which are not participating in the general strike, have organized two-hour work stoppages in all workplaces with the aim of "demonstrating that the world of work does not look the other way and that it also points to Israel as a genocidal state." All employees—both in public and private companies—will be able to show their support for Palestine from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (morning shifts), from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. if they work in the afternoon, and from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. if they work at night.