‘Without any reason, they shoot our fire truck. Three or four bullets. One of them was in my shoulder.’ Palestinian firefighter, Rabe’e Antar, pulls up the sleeve of his navy shirt to reveal a deep scar.

‘I thought it was the end but [I am] alive now,’ he continues, reflecting on that fatal day as he explains how, in 2002, the Israeli army opened fire on him and his team. They were delivering water to a hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus and their truck was distinguished by its sirens and flashing lights.

Antar’s testimony is part of Firefighters Under Occupation, a gripping documentary about life as a Palestinian firefighter in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The idea for the film came from Jim Malone, Palestinian Support Co-ordinator for the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Scotland. After retiring from active firefighting in 2013, Malone teamed up with Ciaran Gibbons, former firefighter, FBU member and now a documentary-maker. After travelling to the West Bank in late 2015, they shot the film in one jam-packed week.

The illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank puts the already under-resourced Palestinian firefighters under intolerable pressure, including constant threats of violence, checkpoint delays and curfews. As Gibbons puts it: ‘Firefighters in the West Bank face two enemies: the fire and the occupation.’

For Palestinians, the documentary shines a much-needed spotlight on the situation. Nablus Fire Chief, Sultan Minawi, is clear: ‘We are so happy for the film, because [the film] focused on the problems and obstacles which Palestinian firefighters face during their humanitarian job.’

Gibbons – who went out to the West Bank ‘a bit pro-Palestinian’ and came back wholeheartedly in support – says he was ‘overwhelmed’ by their warm reception. Since its release Firefighters under Occupation has been shown widely, including to Members of Parliament.

The tradition of solidarity

The documentary reflects a wider pro-Palestinian solidarity which has characterised FBU Scotland for a number of years – a stance which owes much to Ken Cameron. General Secretary of the FBU from 1980-2000, Cameron championed causes including Palestine, South Africa and Cuba.

‘He became an educator for us,’ says Jim Malone, recalling Cameron’s influence on him as a young rep in the 1980s. In 1982, Cameron became the first General Secretary to propose a pro-Palestinian motion at the Trades Union Council.

Today, such internationalism is key to the FBU ethos. The FBU Executive Council Policy states: ‘In an increasingly unstable world, solidarity across borders is not optional.’ As well as an ethical duty, standing with international fire-fighters is an opportunity for learning. ‘To witness our Palestinian comrades negotiate their role under occupation is inspiring and educational,’ says Jim Malone.

In an increasingly unstable world, solidarity across borders is not optional

Symbolic of this expression of solidarity, in 2011 FBU Dundee purchased two fire trucks intended for Palestine. Malone and three colleagues set out on an epic journey: ‘we played it by ear and just went for it’. One truck made it no further than Greece, but the other, after being impounded at Haifa, made it to Nablus where it is still in use. Another fire truck, sent by FBU Scotland to Nablus in summer 2024, is still being held in the Israeli port of Ashdod.

Malone – who has visited Palestine seven times – and his comrades have also delivered much-needed kit to the West Bank. Malone’s outrage is palpable, arguing that as recently as 2016, ‘the guys in Hebron had no breathing apparatus!’ To date, over 100 Palestinian firefighters have visited the UK for training, mostly in Scotland, while Scottish FBU and Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have also assisted with training in the West Bank city of Jericho.

Trade union power

As the Gaza genocide makes international resistance to Zionist settler colonialism more important than ever, the FBU’s achievements illustrate the effectiveness of union solidarity. ‘Trade unions have leverage against those with power and the tools and networks to organise collectively,’ observes Sacha Ismail, a former London Fire Brigade (LFB) fire safety officer and policy and education officer for the Green Party’s Trade Union Group.

In Palestine, trade unions have long been crucial to the liberation struggle. Since October 2023, the Gaza branch of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions has regularly called on international unions for solidarity. Many have responded. In Europe, India, Africa and the United States, dockworkers have disrupted shipping routes to Israel. In the UK, at the 2025 Labour Party conference, an emergency motion tabled by Unison saw delegates vote for sanctions against Israel and recognise the genocide in Gaza.

‘No action is too big or too small,’ says Jess Barnard, trade union organiser for the UK Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). Although the PSC has longstanding trade union links, including a formal affiliation system, Barnard’s role was created last summer in order to provide support to workers organising specifically around Palestine.

In Glasgow, hospitality workers and Unite pressured the Glasgow Film Festival to drop Coca Cola as the brand is blacklisted by the Boycott, Divest, Sanction movement (BDS). Union pressure has also triggered divestments by local council pension funds.

Firefighters in Palestine are the best of us, living and carrying out their humanitarian duties while under military and colonial occupation

In an increasingly repressive UK climate, union membership can safeguard pro-Palestinian workers. ‘The first thing I ask activists is: “are you in a trade union?”’ says Barnard, pointing out that trade union members have ‘an added layer of protection,’ with access to their own networks and legal representatives.

For Palestinian workers, the backing provides valued comradeship. ‘The solidarity from international trade unions offers important support of Palestinian rights and shows the illegal Israeli occupation to other people,’ writes Minawi. ‘It makes us feel less alone.’

Such solidarity is not only practical or political, but personal. Observing that Palestine is a ‘very woman-driven society’ – 53 per cent of women are in higher education compared to 32 per cent of men – Malone recalls an invitation by Palestinian women to join them in their tents as they held vigils for their children who had been abducted or killed.

‘The [Palestinian] men aren’t allowed in the tents but the women demanded that we come in and listen to their stories.’ Malone pauses, visibly moved. ‘Those stories leave an indelible mark’, he continues, then adds that given the ‘horrific’ crisis today, it pains him to think ‘how many women are mourning a son or a brother’.

Malone has no intention of relinquishing the struggle. ‘Firefighters the world over share a unique bond [and] the same humanitarian principles,’ he tells me. ‘Firefighters in Palestine are the best of us, living and carrying out their humanitarian duties while under military and colonial occupation. It’s our duty as socialists and trade unionists to offer them our support and practical assistance.’

For information about screenings of Firefighters Under Occupation, contact Jim Malone or visit its Facebook page