BASW and SWU mark #PalestineDay

In Solidarity with Palestinian People
Palestine Day

Today on the 29th November 2024, SWU and BASW mark the 46th International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. 

On this day of observance we specifically remember the more than 42,000 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children, killed in the current conflict in Gaza (and the West Bank) in the last year, and the many thousands more injured and orphaned. 1.9 million people in Gaza – or about 90% of the population – have been displaced with no way to leave and are facing life threatening shortages of food, water, sanitation, and healthcare. 

As a human rights-based profession, we cannot stay silent. As social workers we call for peace and safety for people in Palestine, Lebanon, and Israel. The ongoing violent escalation in the region cannot be allowed to become normalised.

We call on the UK government to exercise its leadership role and demand that the Israeli government comply with its international obligation to protect civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and other occupied areas in the region – especially in the wake of the 19th July 2024 advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). We call for the UK government to end its complicity in the genocide of Palestinians by halting arms sales to Israel, to advocate for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and to join international efforts to ensure compliance with international law. 

This is an update on prior joint statements from BASW and SWU:

SWU is an affiliate of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and supports the important work they do in the UK, including through their partnership with child rights organization Defence for Children International – Palestine (DCIP). 

This statement was amended on 29th November 2024.  The earlier version included a quote from an individual on the UN website which was deeply inappropriate, and on being alerted to this, we updated the statement to remove it without delay. We apologise for any upset and distress this may have caused.