Left-Wing Teachers Back Palestinian Militants

[Kevin Robert Dean]

Mon 1 Apr 2002 
   
11:58am (UK)
Left-Wing Teachers Back Palestinian Militants 

By Dominic Hayes, Education Correspondent, PA News 

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4523031

Teachers today voted in support of the right of
Palestinian refugees to return to Israel at a time
when the two sides are getting nearer to all-out war.

Leaders of the socialist wing of the National Union of
Teachers said they could understand why Palestinians
chose to become suicide bombers, a declaration that
was bound to enrage opinion in and out of Israel.

However, an attempt by the NUT’s Far Left to equate
the deaths of Iraqi children – which they claim are
caused by UN sanctions – with the September 11 attacks
will probably not occur, as they ran out of time in
the Easter Monday morning session reserved for debate.

In a passionate discussion, union moderates at the
annual conference in Bournemouth attempted to keep the
NUT policy in line with Education International, the
global association of unions representing 24 million
teachers.

EI has not called for the right of return of
Palestinian refugees, a move Israelis fear would lead
to them becoming a minority in their state, they said.

Bernard Regan, leader of the Socialist Teacher
Alliance and a member of the NUT’s national executive
said: “I don’t condone suicide bombers.”

However, he added: “We can condemn their actions but
we should understand them – it’s born of despair.”

Suicide bombers killed at least 16 Israelis in two
attacks in less than 24 hours while a minimum of 40
were injured yesterday.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has been trapped by
the Israeli army in his compound in the Palestinian
town of Ramallah.

mf


=====
Kevin Dean
Buffalo, NY
ICQ: 8616001
AIM: KDean75206
Buffalo Activist Network
http://www.buffaloactivist.net
http://www.yaysoft.com

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