German trade union head backs Histadrut against anti-Israel boycotts

Histadrut leader Ofer Eini and DGB's Michael Sommer, in Berlin - June 2009

Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB) President Michael Sommer announced his support Thursday for a new labor-based group, TULIP, that aims to stop trade union-sponsored efforts to boycott Israel.

Speaking at a joint Histadrut and DGB event in Berlin entitled “A reliable partnership,” Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Ofer Eini said it “is a bad phenomenon” when labor unions declare a boycott against Israel because it “damages the workers organizations” among Palestinians and Israelis. He added that “TULIP is very important for us” and asked his counterpart Sommer for support at the event, which was sponsored by the German-Israeli friendship society of Berlin-Potsdam.

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