Italian port workers refuse to load arms shipment headed for Israel

The Italian port workers refused to be an 'accomplice in the massacre of the Palestinian people'

An Italian port workers’ union in Livorno, Tuscany, has refused to load a supply of arms and munitions destined for Israel in protests against the country's ongoing airstrikes that continue in the Gaza Strip, with hundreds killed and thousands injured. The shipment believed to be bound for Ashdod (a major port in Israel) contained “weapons and explosives that will serve to kill the Palestinian population” and, as a result, L’Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) have stated that they "will not be an accomplice in the massacre of the Palestinian people". The Italian port workers ascertained information regarding the contents of the cargo by using information from a Genoa-based campaign called Weapon Watch and subsequently refused to carry out their duties. The shipment was ultimately carried out through Naples according to The New Arab and the violence shows no signs of de-escalating. The USB took part in a street protest calling for “an immediate stop to the bombings on Gaza" as the conflict continues to escalate for a second week. Tensions had been rising throughout Ramadan but the violence broke out earlier this month. The UN warned that the situation was heading for a "full scale war" days ago. In Israel latest offensive on Gaza and other Palestinian territories, 42 were killed in an airstrike, including 16 women and 10 children. Over a quarter of all casualties are now said to be children and #FreePalestine protests are taking place all around the world. Ten people are also said to have died in Israel, including a five-year-old boy. The IDF also launched an airstrike on the Hamas leader, Yehiyeh Sinwar, on Sunday. Gaza is set to face a blackout as it runs out of fuel; meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will not stop until there is "complete quiet". This is the worst violence the region has seen in nearly a decade.