Italian Dockworkers Refuse to Fuel Genocide — Block Arms Headed to “Israel”
By Staff, Agencies
Dockworkers in multiple Italian ports have escalated their campaign to halt shipments to “Israeli”-occupied Palestinian territories, as anger mounts across Europe following the apartheid “Israel” entity’s illegal interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters.
On Thursday, two of Italy’s largest labor unions announced a nationwide strike and a rapid-response alert system to block any vessels linked to the “Israeli” entity. The unions — the Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro [CGIL] and the Unione Sindacale di Base [USB] — pledged to “block everything” if “Israeli” forces launched further attacks on the flotilla.
“The aggression against civilian ships carrying Italian citizens is an extremely serious matter,” CGIL said in a statement. “It is not only a crime against defenseless people, but also a betrayal of our constitutional principles — the Italian government has abandoned its own citizens in open international waters”.
USB echoed the call, urging mass mobilizations “in all squares” on Friday. Francesco Staccioli of the union’s confederal executive said the strike would proceed immediately, bypassing Italy’s usual 10-day notice period. “We didn’t respect the notice period — this is too urgent,” he explained, noting that CGIL’s decision to join the action marked an unprecedented show of unity.
The coordinated action is part of a growing wave of pro-Palestinian labor resistance across Europe. Unions in several countries have also pledged to disrupt maritime trade with “Israel” in protest of the attacks on the humanitarian flotilla, which carried around 500 people from 37 countries — including parliamentarians, lawyers and activists such as Greta Thunberg.
Late Wednesday, the “Israeli” navy intercepted several of the flotilla’s vessels as they neared Gaza, detaining activists and redirecting them to the port of Asdod ["Ashdod"]. The “Israeli” entity's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later praised the military for what international observers have condemned as an unlawful act of piracy.
The detentions have sparked outrage across Italy, where thousands have rallied in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Demonstrators flooded streets in Rome, Milan, Turin, Genoa, Naples and Pisa, chanting “Let’s block everything!” and briefly shutting down metro stations and train platforms. Protests also erupted in Brussels, Athens, Buenos Aires and Berlin, while Spain’s government urged the entity to guarantee the safety of those on board.
According to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, at least 40 Italian nationals — including two members of the national parliament and two members of the European Parliament — are among those detained. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her government was working “to ensure these people can return to Italy as soon as possible”.
Friday’s strike follows an earlier nationwide work stoppage on September 22, when roughly half a million Italians rallied across 75 cities in solidarity with Gaza and the Global Sumud Flotilla, after “Israeli” drone strikes targeted the aid vessels.
The dockworkers’ renewed defiance underscores a growing European movement to confront the “Israel” entity’s blockade and support the Palestinian people — not just through words, but through collective action that hits the occupation where it hurts most: its trade.
