October 10, 2025.
Day of struggle for Palestine
CCOO and UGT reaffirm their commitment to peace, respect for international law, and the defense of human rights. No plan can be considered a lasting peace if it excludes the Palestinian people, perpetuates the occupation, or ignores United Nations resolutions.
Mobilization in workplaces on October 15 and in the streets is more necessary than ever to demonstrate the public’s commitment to peace, justice, and freedom for the Palestinian people.
Despite the enthusiasm with which the announcement of the so-called peace plan for Gaza, accepted by Israel and Hamas, has been received in various quarters, UGT and CCOO remain cautious. The unions welcome the halt to the unbearable bombardment of the Gazan population and the withdrawal that some Israeli troops appear to have begun. As with any humanitarian policy regarding kidnaped persons, those unjustly imprisoned, and, in general, any step that advances respect for human rights. It is also necessary to recognize the position of the Palestinian authorities, who will always be the primary reference point for evaluating any proposal to end the massacre, consolidate peace, and advance the creation of a viable Palestinian state.
However, the unions believe that perspective on what is happening should not be lost. The agreement once again reproduces a colonial framework in Palestine without taking the Palestinians into account. It consolidates the breakdown of any multilateral framework and foreign policies that are driven by the whims of powerful nations such as the US and Israel.
To this day, we still don’t know all the details of the agreement, which is merely a first step toward an eventual ceasefire. The planned withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza is only partial; they will remain in 53% of the territory, and to allow the entry of humanitarian aid—400 trucks per day—there is a clear risk that, after the hostages are released, Israeli bombings will resume, given Israel’s repeated prior breaches of commitments.
The future of Gaza, as well as that of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, remains pending a second phase of the agreement. In the first case, Netanyahu has stated that Israel will not withdraw from the Strip, and as for the West Bank, he has already expressed his intention to annex it. The plan for the future government of Gaza to be administered by a technocratic committee overseen by a “Peace Board” led by Trump, with former Prime Minister Tony Blair on board, would de facto make a free and sovereign Palestinian state impossible and would undermine the two-state solution, which, although unlikely, remains the United Nations’ proposal and was approved by the General Assembly in its resolution of September 12, 2025. The United Nations, the European Union, and the international community in general must ensure that the reconstruction of Gaza is grounded in rights, reconciliation, and social justice; that it involves the participation of Palestinians; and that it guaranties access to decent work and respect for human and labor rights.
We are at a critical moment. CCOO and UGT reaffirm their commitment to peace, respect for international law, and the defense of human rights. No plan can be considered a lasting peace if it excludes the Palestinian people, perpetuates the occupation, or ignores United Nations resolutions.
Therefore, we continue to mobilize and call on the international community, the labor movement, and citizens to maintain active solidarity with the State of Palestine and to demand a just, lasting solution based on respect for the rights of the Palestinian people. Therefore, mobilizations in workplaces on October 15 and in the streets, in support of peace, justice, and freedom for Palestine, are more necessary than ever.
Furthermore, UGT and CCOO underscore the importance of defending democratic systems and multilateralism to conduct international relations in a civilized manner. We cannot accept the rule of the strongest. It is time to stand up for social democracies that are being shamelessly questioned by the Donald Trump administration and that pose a threat to welfare states and the rule of law, and therefore to the interests of the working class worldwide.
