Arms shipment to Israel halted at Italian port due to increasing worker demonstrations
The port of Ravenna, Italy, made headlines on Thursday when it blocked two trucks carrying explosives en route to the Israeli port of Haifa. This decision reflects a growing trend of opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza across Europe.
Mayor of Ravenna, Alessandro Barattoni, made the request due to what he described as Israel's genocidal attacks on Gaza. The port authority accepted the request and regional government's plea to deny access to the lorries.
Barattoni did not provide details on where the containers had come from, but similar actions to block arms shipments to Israel have been taken by dockworkers in other European countries such as France, Sweden, and Greece.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that Italy would support EU sanctions against violent Israeli settlers and Israeli ministers who have made 'unacceptable' comments on Gaza and the West Bank. Tajani was open to considering trade sanctions, but did not provide further details.
The Italian trade union body, CGIL, aims to go a step further. They are planning a national half-day strike and marches in Rome and other cities on Friday. The protests are aimed at pressuring the Italian government to suspend all commercial and military cooperation agreements with Israel.
The CGIL's protests are not isolated incidents. Much of Gaza is left in ruins due to Israel's military campaign, with more than 65,000 people, mostly women and children, having been killed according to local health officials. The campaign was launched after Palestinian resistance group Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
The CGIL is also calling for the lifting of the humanitarian embargo and recognition of the State of Palestine. These calls echo Barattoni's stance, who made the request due to Israel's actions in Gaza.
The Israeli embassy in Rome declined to comment on the case due to lack of detailed information. However, two other unions have announced they will halt work and try to block activity in the large ports of Genoa and Livorno on Sept. 22. Riccardo Rudino from the Calp dockers' union in Genoa stated, 'We won't let a single pin through the port.'
The countries mentioned as sources through which containers with weapons allegedly destined for Israel were delivered via Italy include Czechia, Hungary, Austria, and Italy itself, with the port of Ravenna being an important transit point for these shipments. The shipments were reportedly routed from Czechia through Austria to Italy, and then planned for shipment to the Israeli port of Haifa.
As the conflict in Gaza continues, it seems that Europe is increasingly divided in its support for Israel. The actions taken by the port of Ravenna and other European dockworkers could signal a turning point in the region's stance on the ongoing conflict.
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