This statement is a response to the Palestinian Union of Social Workers and Psychologists (PUSWP) call for the Israeli Union of Social Workers (IUSW) to be expelled by IFSW.
The PUSWP have written to IFSW saying:
The occupation kills our people in the most horrific ways, and your fellow social worker in the occupying state are participating in the killing of our people. You must move immediately to condemn what is happening, and demand the freezing and expulsion of this institution from a leading organization in social and humanitarian work.”
This refers to the requirement of Israeli citizens to undertake compulsory military service, including social workers and social work students.
The Federation’s statement of ethical principles clearly states:
9.3 Social workers support peace and nonviolence. Social workers may work alongside military personnel for humanitarian purposes and work toward peacebuilding and reconstruction. Social workers operating within a military or peacekeeping context must always support the dignity and agency of people as their primary focus. Social workers must not allow their knowledge and skills to be used for inhumane purposes, such as torture, military surveillance, terrorism, or conversion therapy, and they should not use weapons in their professional or personal capacities against people.
This requires all IFSW members to call on their governments/authorities to make social workers exempt from military service. Failure to do so would be a breach of the ethical principles and would result in action affecting their membership status. IFSW has formally written to both members in this affected area to notify them of this membership obligation.
The role of social workers is to support peace and nonviolence. IFSW is looking forward to the response from both unions to ensure that the ethical principles are adhered to in both countries.