An initiative promoted by Catalan cooperativism forms an economic fund of solidarity with the popular economy in Palestine

The group of cooperatives that promote the manifesto ‘Pels drets humans i la pau, a Palestina i arreu’ (‘On behalf of human rights and peace, in Palestine and everywhere’) has managed to gather about 9,000 euros that will be used to support initiatives of the popular economy in Palestine and the Catalan Palestinian community. This symbolic contribution culminates the first phase of the campaign of solidarity with the civilian population of Gaza that last May was started by a dozen cooperatives, including Col·lectiu Ronda, Coop57 or Sostre Cívic, and which currently has the support of a hundred groups of social and solidarity economy.

Soon it will be a year since Israel’s military offensive against the Gaza Strip began, and the spiral of violence and the human rights violations that are taking place towards the Palestinian people continues to grow. Therefore, although the cooperative organizations that started the manifesto closed this first phase, they consider that the adherence to the cause and donations, as well as other avenues of commitments that are being worked on (including the review of purchasing policies or investments to avoid collaborating with the State of Israel) must continue for the duration of the offensive.

The donations from this first phase come from about ten cooperatives and two foundations that have made voluntary contributions from the ‘Fons d’Educació i Promoció de Cooperatives’ (‘Cooperative Education and Promotion Fund’) or from their solidarity fund. The group driving the campaign decided that the nearly 9,000 euros raised would be allocated to three initiatives. 

Part of it will go to the campaign ‘Fi al comerç d’armes amb Israel’ (‘End Arms Trade with Israel’), led by the Palestinian community in Catalonia, with the goal of promoting peace. This campaign started a crowdfunding effort almost in parallel with the manifesto. The second major portion of the donations is allocated to the General Union of Cooperatives in Palestine, with the aim of analyzing and spreading the impact of the occupation on the cooperative movement, a need that was conveyed to the manifesto’s organizers just before the summer. Lastly, a third recipient is the Union of Palestinian Women's committees (UPWC), which works to strengthen community and cooperative economies in the region.

The manifesto of the cooperatives and other entities from the social and solidarity economy can be read on the website of ‘Amb Palestina’ (With Palestine). There are explained the reasons and demands being made as well as the commitments taken, including the creation of an economic fund to support grassroots initiatives of the Palestinian people. The possibility of signing the manifesto and contributing to the fund remains open, with the idea of continuing to make solidarity donations. The website explains how to make these donations and provides information about their destination.

In parallel, the group of cooperatives leading the initiative is working on a possible roadmap for all cooperatives that wish to review their purchasing and investment policies, to ensure they do not collaborate directly or indirectly with the human rights violations of the State of Israel and, in general, in occupied territories or with actors that may be involved in violating these rights.