Italian Dockworkers Warn To Block Israeli Cargo If Gaza Aid Flotilla Is Stopped

Italian dockworkers have warned that they will block all shipments bound for Israel if the latest aid flotilla to Gaza is intercepted by the Israeli Navy.

The threat came as the Global Sumud Flotilla departed from Barcelona on Sunday with 20 to 50 vessels of different sizes and about 300 crew and activists on board.

It is the fourth flotilla this year and the eighth overall since attempts began to challenge Israel’s decades-long blockade. All seven earlier efforts were stopped at sea, most by Israeli commandos in international waters.

Among those joining this mission are Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham. The flotilla will make a stop in Tunisia on September 4 before continuing toward Gaza, where it is expected to arrive by mid-September. Organisers said weather delays have already slowed the schedule.

Video Credits: WLA/YouTube

At the port of Genoa, one of Europe’s largest, dockworkers from the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) union issued a strong warning. A spokesman said that if communication with the flotilla is cut “even for 20 minutes,” dockers will block all Israel-bound cargo across Europe. He added that from Genoa alone, “13,000 to 14,000 containers leave every year for Israel, and not a single nail will leave anymore.”

The call has wide public support in Italy. In Genoa, citizens organised a donation drive that collected hundreds of tonnes of food and goods, supported by a $1.2 million contribution from the populist Five Star Movement.

On Saturday night, about 40,000 people joined a torchlit march through the city in solidarity with the flotilla. Mayor Silvia Salis also took part in the demonstration, saying she felt proud to represent Genoa’s spirit of humanity and solidarity.

Video Credits: Middle East Eye/YouTube

The departure comes as humanitarian conditions in Gaza worsen. U.N. agencies have warned of famine, with severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials.

Adding to the international pressure, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), the world’s largest professional body of its kind, has released a new assessment stating that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the UN treaty definition of genocide, citing statements from Israeli officials and reported events on the ground. The Israeli government has dismissed the findings.

Israeli leaders have also condemned the flotilla. Local media, citing sources close to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, reported that activists could face detention in “terrorist-level” prison cells for weeks, while their boats may be seized and repurposed by Israeli police.

Reference: politico

Source: Maritime Shipping News