BOSTON — The American Federation of Teachers today approved at its biennial convention a resolution sharply criticizing state-sponsored terrorism in the Middle East and, specifically, the kidnappings and cross border assaults by Hezbollah and Hamas against citizens of Israel.

The resolution, which becomes AFT policy, condemns the use of violence by terrorist organizations as well as the undemocratic states of Syria and Iran that supply these violent groups with arms. The union called for the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1559, which demands the complete disarmament of Hezbollah and its withdrawal from southern Lebanon. AFT also called on the parties to negotiate a cease-fire and for the world community to support the democratically elected government of Lebanon.

After a spirited hourlong debate, the majority of the more than 3,000 delegates voted overwhelmingly to support a resolution that strongly supports "Israel's right and responsibility to defend its borders and citizens from terrorist attacks and other threats to its sovereignty." They rejected a substitute measure that called for cessation of violence by all parties.

In introducing the resolution, AFT vice president Herb Magidson asked delegates to "support sanity, democracy, civilization and this resolution." Other delegates used phrases like "fundamental fairness" and "social justice" to explain the AFT’s need to stake a position on the Middle East crisis.