ITUC Condemns Israeli Raid on PGFTU Headquarters in Nablus
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has strongly condemned the raid carried out by Israeli army and intelligence forces on the headquarters of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) in the city of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, on Wednesday evening.
According to the ITUC statement, the Israeli forces broke into the offices, vandalised several departments including the General Secretary’s office, and damaged doors and property across the premises, describing the incident as a grave violation of international law and of the fundamental right to freedom of association.
ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle denounced the operation, stating: “This attack, which took place on Palestinian territory, is an assault on a legitimate, democratic, and representative institution of working people. Trade unions are a force for peace, dialogue, and negotiation — they are not military targets.”
He called for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the incident and full accountability for those responsible, reaffirming the ITUC’s solidarity with the PGFTU and with all Palestinian workers targeted by this assault.
For his part, Shaher Saed, General Secretary of the PGFTU, expressed deep appreciation for the ITUC’s position, emphasizing that the raid constitutes a blatant violation of trade union rights and international labour conventions, and reflects the occupation’s ongoing efforts to suppress Palestinian national and trade union institutions.
Saed added that this attack comes as part of a broader campaign targeting the Palestinian trade union movement and silencing the voices of Palestinian workers suffering under daily occupation policies and violations. He stressed that the PGFTU will continue its national and union mission to defend workers’ rights and strengthen their resilience, calling on the international community to take responsibility and put an end to Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people and their institutions.
