{"id":3703,"date":"2025-04-03T18:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T13:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/?p=3703"},"modified":"2025-04-03T19:11:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T13:41:26","slug":"trade-unions-and-activists-demand-india-cut-ties-with-israel-bring-back-workers-from-conflict-zones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/?p=3703","title":{"rendered":"Trade Unions and Activists Demand India Cut Ties with Israel, Bring Back Workers from Conflict Zones"},"content":{"rendered":"

Indian Activists Demand from Indian Government to Withdraw Workers from Israel Amid Gaza Conflict\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Bangalore, April 3, 2025:<\/strong> At a press conference held at the Bangalore Press Club, representatives from various trade unions, human rights organizations, and student groups called on the Indian government to sever ties with Israel and ensure the safe return of Indian workers from war-affected regions. The event, organized by Bengaluru for Justice and Peace, strongly condemned Israel\u2019s recent military strikes in Gaza, which have led to a significant loss of life and displacement of civilians.<\/p>\n

Escalating Violence in Gaza<\/strong><\/h3>\n

KS Vimala of the All India Democratic Women’s Rights Association (AIDWA) criticized Israel\u2019s latest airstrikes, stating that they were a clear violation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. She highlighted that the attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 1,042 people, including 200 children. According to UNICEF, the airstrikes on March 18 marked the highest single-day death toll for children in Gaza in the past year. Since the escalation began, over 49,547 people have died, with 112,719 injured and more than 90% of Gaza\u2019s population displaced.<\/p>\n

Concerns Over Indian Workers in Israel<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mahantesh of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) raised concerns about the employment of Indian workers in Israel, replacing thousands of displaced Palestinian laborers. \u201cThere are at least 100,000 workers from India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh now working in Israel under unsafe conditions. Their lives are not protected, and their families receive no financial assistance in case of casualties. We demand their immediate repatriation and an end to such agreements that send Indian workers to conflict zones,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Targeting of Civilians and Media Silence<\/strong><\/h3>\n

KV Bhat from the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians, particularly women and children. He pointed out that media coverage of the crisis has dwindled, despite reports indicating that at least 14,500 children have been killed in Gaza. \u201cWhat was once front-page news is now buried in small corners of newspapers. This is a genocide, and it should not be ignored,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

India\u2019s Role in the Conflict<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Independent lawyer Madhulika argued that India is complicit in the violence due to its arms trade with Israel. \u201cEvidence from Gaza shows missile debris marked \u2018Made in India.\u2019 Companies like Alpha Elsec Aerospace Systems, an Indo-Israel joint venture, and Adani Defense and Aerospace are directly involved in producing weapon systems used by Israeli forces,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n

Destruction of Education and Increasing Indo-Israel Collaboration<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Surya from Students for People\u2019s Democracy (SfPD) highlighted the destruction of educational institutions in Gaza. \u201cAround 80% of schools have been destroyed, an act described as \u2018scholasticide.\u2019 Meanwhile, Indian universities are increasing collaborations with Israeli institutions on research for defense, cybersecurity, and surveillance,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n

Call for Action from the Indian Government<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The press conference concluded with a call for India to comply with international law. Senior women\u2019s rights activist Madhu Bhushan stressed that the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice have held Israel accountable for potential genocide, with the ICC issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. \u201cIndia must uphold international law and take a stand on the right side of history,\u201d she urged.<\/p>\n

The demands from activists and trade unions include cutting diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, halting arms trade, ceasing worker exports to Israel, and ensuring the safe return of Indian citizens from conflict zones.<\/p>\n

Statements:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. \n

    \u201cThe Indian government must immediately bring back workers from Israel and stop sending labor to war zones where their lives are at risk.\u201d \u2013 Mahantesh, CITU<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    \u201cMedia coverage of Gaza\u2019s genocide has dwindled, but the reality is that thousands of children have been killed. We cannot stay silent.\u201d \u2013 KV Bhat, AIUTUC<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    \u201cIndia\u2019s arms trade with Israel makes us complicit in war crimes. Our weapons are being used to kill innocent civilians.\u201d \u2013 Madhulika, Independent Lawyer<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    \u201c80% of Gaza\u2019s schools have been destroyed. This is an attack on the future of an entire generation.\u201d \u2013 Surya, SfPD<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \n

    Quotes:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
      \n
    • \n

      \u201cEvidence of Indian-made weapons in Gaza raises serious questions about our role in this conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      \u201cWar profits should not come at the cost of human lives. India must cut military ties with Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      \u201cThis is not just about solidarity; it\u2019s about following international law.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \n

      Q&A:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

      Q: Why are Indian workers in Israel a concern?<\/strong>
      A: Many Indian workers are being employed in Israel to replace Palestinian laborers who have been displaced or killed. These workers are in a dangerous environment with no protection or financial support for their families in case of injury or death.<\/p>\n

      Q: How is India involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict?<\/strong>
      A: India supplies arms and technology used by Israeli forces. Indian companies, including Adani Defense and Aerospace, co-produce AI weapons systems used in Gaza.<\/p>\n

      Q: What are activists demanding?<\/strong>
      A: Activists and trade unions are calling for India to cut diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, withdraw Indian workers, and stop arms trade that fuels the war.<\/p>\n

      \n

      Context & Background:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
        \n
      • \n

        Israel has been carrying out military operations in Gaza, leading to over 49,000 deaths and displacing more than 90% of the population.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Reports confirm that Indian-manufactured weapons have been found in Gaza, raising concerns about India\u2019s role in the conflict.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Indian workers are being sent to Israel under agreements that do not ensure their safety or financial security.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        International bodies like the ICC and ICJ have accused Israel of committing genocide.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \n

        #IndiaWithPalestine #StopWarProfiteering #BringBackIndianWorkers #EndGenocide #CutTiesWithIsrael #HumanRights #StopArmingIsrael #SaveGaza<\/p>\n

        <\/div>\n

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        <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Indian Activists Demand from Indian Government to Withdraw Workers from Israel Amid Gaza Conflict\u00a0 Bangalore, April 3, 2025: At a press conference held at the Bangalore Press Club, representatives from various trade unions, human rights organizations, and student groups called on the Indian government to sever ties with Israel and ensure the safe return of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[652,653,650,646,651,649,273,74,486,272,648,647],"class_list":["post-3703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-karnataka","tag-bangalore-press-club","tag-bengaluru-for-justice-and-peace","tag-foreign-affairs","tag-gaza","tag-gaza-conflict","tag-indian-government","tag-israel","tag-karnataka","tag-modi","tag-palestine","tag-trump","tag-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3703"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3705,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3703\/revisions\/3705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}