AhlulBayt News Agency: French and Italian dockworkers have refused to load a shipment of weapons bound for Israel, declaring they will not be complicit in the genocide taking place in Gaza.Investigative outlets Disclose and The Ditch reported on June 4 that the cargo vessel ZIM Contship Era was scheduled to secretly load 14 tonnes of military equipment at Marseille’s Fos-sur-Mer port, produced by the French company Eurolinks.
The shipment was expected to dock at Genoa and Salerno in Italy before continuing to Haifa in occupied Palestine.
This marks the third such arms shipment from Marseille to Israel in 2025, following previous transfers on April 3 and May 22, both supplying military equipment used in the ongoing war in Gaza.
In a statement issued on June 2, the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) union representing port workers in the Gulf of Fos declared, “The port of Marseille-Fos must not be used to supply the Israeli army.”
“The dockworkers and port staff will not take part in the ongoing genocide. We stand for peace among peoples and oppose all wars that bring death, misery, and displacement,” the union emphasized.
The military equipment, including Eurolink belts used in IWI Negev machine guns, was reportedly intended for Israel Military Industries, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, one of Israel’s largest arms manufacturers.
The dockworkers’ refusal to load weapons in France sparked solidarity actions in Italy.
The Genoa Port Workers’ Collective (CALP) announced its plans to block the docking of the ZIM Contship Era upon its arrival in Genoa.
“We oppose all wars and refuse to be complicit in the genocide in Gaza,” CALP stated.
Additionally, Italian port workers have called for a general strike on June 20, under the slogan “Disarmiamoli” ("Disarm them"), protesting the militarization of European ports and their role in arms transfers.
Demonstrations are scheduled in Genoa and Rome on June 21, aiming to protest increasing military spending and its social consequences.
Previous investigations revealed that France approved the delivery of at least 100,000 rifle parts to Israel in late 2023.
In June 2024, investigative journalists published classified documents showing that France had authorized drone-related exports produced by Thales, which were used in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
Between 2018 and 2023, France sold electronic components and communication systems worth €2 million to Israel for drone operations.
Additionally, France has supplied military shipments to Saudi Arabia, which has been implicated in crimes against humanity in Yemen.
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