The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) vehemently condemns the unprovoked Israeli attack on Iran, a reckless escalation that threatens to plunge the Middle East—and the world—into a catastrophic war. This aggression is not an isolated act but a direct consequence of decades of U.S. imperialism, which arms, funds, and emboldens Israel’s apartheid regime to carry out genocide, destabilize the region, and secure Western corporate control over Middle Eastern resources.
Israel, the fourth-strongest military power in the world, owes its destructive might to the United States of America, which provides it with $3.8 billion annually in military aid —the largest such package to any country. This aid represents about 15–16% of the entirety of the Israeli war machine – part of a $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding spanning from 2019 to 2028. These funds supply Israel with the most advanced weapons, including F-35 fighter jets, precision-guided bombs, and missile defence systems, turning it into an extension of U.S. imperialist aggression. Thanks to this backing—and the joint development of Iron Dome, among other systems—Israel now fields one of the world’s most advanced militaries.
These weapons have been used to commit genocide in Gaza— with over 50,000 Palestinians killed, including thousands of children, schools and universities bombed, mosques and churches targeted on religious holidays, and a deliberate policy of starvation through siege. The destruction is not collateral damage but a calculated campaign of ethnic cleansing to annex Palestinian land, as evidenced by Israel’s illegal settlements and recent moves to seize the Philadelphi Corridor.
Israel’s aggression extends beyond Palestine. Its recent strikes on Lebanon’s Hezbollah, threats against Iran, and historical attacks on neighbouring states (Egypt, Syria, Iraq) are part of a U.S.-backed strategy to break resistance to Western domination. The bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities is not about “security” but about ensuring no regional power challenges U.S.-Israeli hegemony. The escalation continues with the recent bombing of Iran, a flagrant disregard for international borders and sovereignty
U.S. Imperialism: Oil, Gas, and Corporate Plunder
The goal is control over Middle Eastern oil and gas, with 3 billion barrels of Palestinian oil and 1.7 billion in the Levant Basin eyed by U.S. corporations. The U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Gaza, his calls to seize Canada’s water resources, and his bullying of Panama reveal the true face of American imperialism: a global war machine for corporate profit.
The entire operation is rooted in U.S. economic interests. American weapons manufacturers—Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, General Dynamics—profit heavily, as reported by Brown University’s Costs of War project. U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East is shaped by the desire to control oil and gas, exploiting these brutal conflicts to open markets and extract resources under the guise of “security.”
SAFTU denounces this cycle of violence and exploitation. We call on the international community and labour movements worldwide to:
• Reject U.S. military aid to Israel and demand a full end to arms transfers.
• Hold accountable the corporations profiting from death and destruction.
• Support justice-driven, international solidarity with the Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iranian peoples.
Solidarity Against Imperialism
SAFTU stands with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, and all nations resisting U.S.-backed aggression. We call on workers worldwide to:
– Boycott companies complicit in Israeli apartheid (e.g., arms manufacturers, tech firms aiding surveillance).
– Demand an end to all U.S. military aid to Israel.
– Support global sanctions on Israel until it complies with international law.
The real enemy is not Iran, not Hamas, but U.S. imperialism and its puppet regimes. Only through united working-class resistance can we dismantle this system of war, plunder, and genocide.
Only by uprooting U.S. imperialism and its war profiteers can we achieve lasting peace, stability, and justice in the Middle East—and the world.
A Statement was issued on behalf of SAFTU by General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
For more details, contact the National Spokesperson at:
Newton Masuku
066 168 2157
Newtonm@saftu.org.za
