The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has issued the following statement on November 7 

IT is reported that the Israeli Authorities, during the genocidal attack on Palestine resulting in the death of several thousand Palestinian people, including women and children, has issued orders for Palestinian workers employed in various sectors within Israel to leave the country. In response to this situation, the Israeli Builders’ Association has taken steps to request India to send 50,000 to 1,00,000 workers, particularly the construction workers, to work in Israel. The Israeli Builders Association has reportedly conveyed this request directly to the Government of India, both independently and through the Israeli government.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions strongly denounces and condemns the brutal and inhuman acts of the Israeli authorities against Palestinian workers in Israel, which adds to the ongoing genocidal massacre in Palestine. CITU demands that the Government of India refrain from allowing the dispatch of Indian workers, including construction workers, to Israel. CITU also urges the working people to respond to and reject any such government move with contempt.

CITU welcomes the resolution adopted and the call made by the Construction Workers’ Federation of India (CITU) to actively oppose any attempt to send Indian workers to Israel during this critical time.

CITU, representing the working class, emphatically reiterates its demand that the Government of India reject any purported move by the Israeli government and the Builders’ Association there.  Instead, the Indian government should unequivocally support the latest UN Resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire by Israel, facilitating a humanitarian truce, and ensuring a Palestinian Homeland with pre-1967 borders, free from all occupation.

CITU urges the working people across India to organise massive solidarity mobilisations in support of the Palestinian people and their legitimate demand for a homeland in accordance with UN resolutions.  It calls upon the working class to condemn the ongoing genocide in Palestine, backed by US imperialism.

The CITU calls upon the working class to participate in the protest-cum-solidarity action on the Palestinian issue organised by progressive and Left forces during November 7-10, 2023, coinciding with the visit of US secretary of state, Antony Blinken and US defence secretary Lloyd Austin to India.