The Secretariat unanimously considers these statements, which praise the new regime and essentially justify even the recent massacres of political opponents and religious minorities, as unacceptable. The views and statements of both that issued in the name of the WFTU Middle East Regional Office and those of the leadership of the GFTU, do not align with nor reflect the positions and decisions of our Federation’s collective bodies.

In light of these facts, the Secretariat has decided to suspend the operation of the WFTU Middle East Regional Office and to convene, as soon as possible, the Conference of WFTU affiliates from the Arab world, which will take the necessary decisions regarding the responsibility for coordination of the WFTU Regional Office in the broader Middle East region.

The Secretariat

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During the 5 days of the visit, the General Secretary held a series of meetings with trade unions and Organizations from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, political parties, and the political leadership of Syria. Furthermore, the delegation participated in solidarity activities with the struggling people of Palestine, organized by the class-oriented trade unions of the region.

The visit had been a very good opportunity to reiterate the long and cordial relations between the WFTU and Organizations of the region, and also to agree on a common action plan between them, with activities and initiatives in favour of the Arab peoples and the workers’ interests.

The common finding of all the activities carried out in the framework of the visit, is the fact that organization, militancy and internationalist solidarity are the most powerful weapons of the peoples struggling for freedom, for dignity, for disengagement from foreign interventions. The unity of the peoples’ struggle can and must defeat imperialism.

The WFTU, on the occasion of the completion of the visit, reaffirms that it will remain consistent and firm in its positions and in its support to the struggling people of the Middle East. We will continue to point out the hypocrisy of the imperialists, and to condemn Israel’s murderous aggression and the support it receives from the big imperialist powers, the United States, the European Union and their other allies. The international class-oriented trade union movement will continue to stand on the correct side of history: with the struggling people, against imperialism!

Images from the trip can be found here.

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The meeting reaffirmed the WFTU’s long-standing support to the workers and people of Syria. At the same time, the GFTU’s long-standing support to our Federation, being a member of the WFTU leadership and its voice in the Middle East region, was also acknowledged.

In addition, the situation in Palestine and the wider region was discussed during the meeting. It is the common understanding of the WFTU and the GFTU that the genocide in Palestine must stop. The international community must stop the hypocrisy and passive acceptance of the bloodshed, and support the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation from occupation and for dignity.

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The people of Syria are severely affected by the consequences of long-lasting imperialist intervention in the country that started in 2011. The international class-oriented trade union movement, reiterates its support and solidarity with the suffering Syrian people and struggles for the right of every people to freely, democratically, and unimpededly decide for its own present and future.

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