The ITUC-Asia Pacific strongly condemns the violent raid carried out by Israeli occupation forces on the headquarters of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) in Nablus on 15 October 2025.
According to the PGFTU’s report and letter addressed to the ITUC-Asia Pacific, Israeli forces stormed the union’s headquarters, “smashing offices, doors, and electronic equipment across various departments, including those of the General Secretariat, Legal Affairs, and Services,” and turned the building into a military interrogation centre.
The PGFTU described the assault as “a blatant attack on the sanctity and independence of a trade union institution, and a direct violation of ILO Convention No. 98 concerning the right to organise and engage in collective bargaining, to which Israel is a signatory.”
PGFTU’s damage assessment report further documented the destruction of the union’s main offices, forced entry into multiple rooms including the Secretary-General’s office and the legal department, and tampering of computer systems and archives. It also recorded that “several young individuals were detained and interrogated by Israeli soldiers at gunpoint within the union premises,” an act that constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and human rights standards.
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The PGFTU emphasised, “the raid on a trade union headquarters and its conversion into an interrogation centre constitutes a clear breach of trade union freedom and the independence of workers’ organizations” and “a deliberate attempt to silence the voice of workers.”
ITUC-Asia Pacific General Secretary Shoya Yoshida expressed profound outrage at the incident, stating:
“This is an attack not only on a building but a grave assault on the fundamental principles of freedom of association, dignity of workers, and the right to organise. The Israeli government must be held accountable for its continuous violations of international labour and human rights standards.”
This brutal act comes just a week after the ITUC-Asia Pacific reiterated in its 10 October 2025 statement, “Ceasefire in Gaza must pave the way for a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel,” that peace cannot be achieved without justice, accountability, and respect for human rights.
The raid on the PGFTU headquarters underscores the urgent need for international solidarity and concrete measures to protect Palestinian workers and trade unionists from systemic attacks.
Echoing PGFTU Secretary General Shaher Saad’s appeal, Shoya Yoshida underscores:
“A strong stance of solidarity from international and national trade union organisations, foremost among them ITUC-Asia Pacific, remains crucial in these difficult times – to support Palestinian workers and unions under attack, to sustain international attention on the war’s impact on Palestinian workers and trade unions, and to strengthen global calls for peace, justice, and accountability.”
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