text: they uere having a Poetry readinq e"ening. The entire governing body r,as inprisoned, all the nembers were inpr isoned ... The headquarters have been closed ever since because lhis poetry reading evening was held without the pernission of the authorities belnq requested- "'.. The occupylng forces... have even reached the staqe ehere they have asked to sit in on trade union neetings, have asked for a nenber of the Israeli workersr body to attend these trade union neetinqs' This is a way of forcing the governing bodles and the executlve boards of the trade untons to accept the Israeli presence against their ordn liisbeB. In Gaza they even tried to deslgnate the President of the Trade union council. ..." (A/AC.145/RT'415) 43. AnoEher witness, tulr. Abdul Rahnan !4ehana, stated: "... The occupyinq authorities have started usinq certain Practicesi for exanple, they enter the unionrs premises and geize all the property tttereln' they arrest anyone present, and have closed do9|n a considerable nunber of offices. On 29 June 1981 a military decision was taken to the effect that leagues and associations tdere no Lonqer allowed, and that there should be no ties between the Jerusalem union and those in the Slest Bank and Gaza " ' rThey use all sorts of coercive neasures and do everythinq tbey can to sabotaqe the movenentrs activities' I trill give you an exanple: they sould hold up any action or exhibition of the cultural heritage of Palestine that the unions yrould rrish to orqani'ze, or they nould even try to hlnder then in the soukh ...A/40/702 English Page 22
analysis: This text appears to be a report or testimony about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, specifically regarding the treatment of trade unions and the occupation forces' actions. The text describes the occupation forces' attempts to suppress the trade unions and their activities, including the imprisonment of union leaders, closure of union premises, and interference with cultural events. The text also mentions the occupation forces' efforts to divide the trade unions and create tension between them.