West bank: Two international unions, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI), have urgently called on the International Labour Organization (ILO) to intervene following the tragic killing of a Palestinian worker and his family in the West Bank.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, ITUC Secretary-General Luc Triangle and BWI Secretary-General Ambet Yuson have dispatched an official letter to ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo, urging immediate action in response to the incident. The unions' letter highlights the grave violation of the right to life and worker safety, emphasizing breaches of international humanitarian and human rights laws, including protections under the Fourth Geneva Convention and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The unions detailed a video conference meeting involving key stakeholders, including the Executive Secretary of the Arab Trade Union Confederation Hind Ben Ammar, Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions Shaher Saad, union leaders, and the surviving sons of the worker. The meeting revealed that worker Ali Khaled Sayel Bani Odeh, his wife Waad Othman Aql Bani Odeh, and their two young sons were killed on March 15, 2026. Their vehicle came under Israeli forces' gunfire in Tammun, north of the West Bank, while returning from Nablus. Two other children sustained injuries in the incident.
The unions stressed that this incident undermines the right of workers to safe and decent working conditions, as outlined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. They urged the ILO to conduct an independent investigation to determine responsibilities and engage with the Israeli government for accountability, emphasizing the importance of raising the issue within the ILO's tripartite dialogue mechanisms to protect Palestinian workers urgently.
The letter also stressed the need for direct engagement with the affected family and the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions to acknowledge the incident's profound humanitarian impact.
In a related statement, Shaher Saad, Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, highlighted the significance of the unions' letter in drawing attention to violations against Palestinian workers. He reported that 50 workers had been killed by Israeli forces while trying to earn a living, including three in March 2026, alongside hundreds of injuries since October 7, 2023.
