UK Journalists Vote to Boycott Israel

Britain?s National Union of Journalists has voted at its annual meeting for a boycott of Israeli goods as part of a protest against the Second Lebanon War, the British daily Guardian reported on its Web site Friday evening.

The vote was carried 66 to 54 - a result that met with mixed responses from the NJU delegates present.

The motion came during a series of motions on international affairs and read: ?This ADM [annual delegate meeting] calls for a boycott of Israeli goods similar to those boycotts in the struggles against apartheid South Africa led by trade unions and the TUC [Trades Union Congress] to demand sanctions be imposed on Israel by the British government and the United Nations.?

The motion was originally brought by the union?s South Yorkshire branch in February and was opposed by the Cumberland branch, which said it was too political and was not closely enough related to journalistic matters. After a show of hands twice failed to give a clear result, union scrutineers were called in and the doors to the conference room closed. The vote on the motion was taken after it was split from a larger motion that condemned the ?savage, pre-planned attack on Lebanon by Israel? last year.

This motion, known as Composite B in Order Paper 4, was carried by a large majority and also condemned the ?slaughter of civilians by Israeli troops in Gaza and the IDF?s continued attacks inside Lebanon? following what the motion defined Israel?s ?defeat? by Hezbollah.