Italian port workers threaten full trade halt with 'Israel'
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Italian dockworkers back the Gaza flotilla and threaten to block all trade with "Israel" if ships are attacked.
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The Spanish navy ship Furor sets sail from the port of Cartagena to the eastern Mediterranean, where the humanitarian aid flotilla heads for Gaza on September 25, 2025 (AP)
Port workers in Italy are threatening to halt all trade with "Israel" in response to its war on Gaza, with Genoa's dockworkers joining an international movement aimed at obstructing the shipment of goods and arms.
The workers at the Port of Genoa, who recently led large-scale pro-Palestine protests, have officially endorsed the Global Freedom Flotilla, a convoy of 50 ships sailing across the Mediterranean to challenge the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Crew members from Genoa are also part of the flotilla.
Genoa, venue for talks on arms shipment ban
Port workers from across Europe convened in Genoa over the weekend to discuss coordinated action to prevent arms shipments to "Israel". While no formal statement was released, participants warned that any attack on the flotilla could trigger immediate escalation.
The move comes after suspected drone attacks targeted the flotilla last week. In response, Genoa’s dockworkers designated the flotilla as a kind of tripwire for threats of further action and issued a clear warning: if the boats are attacked, they will block all shipments linked to "Israel".
Among the flotilla participants is environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
“If they attack the flotilla, there will be a general strike. If 'Israel' doesn’t alter course in Gaza, a total trade blockade will follow,” said Riccardo Rudino, a veteran stevedore and leader of the CALP dockworkers’ collective.
Rudino: 'Blocking trade is the only weapon we have'
Rudino drew parallels with historical dockworker resistance, including efforts during the Vietnam War and apartheid South Africa.
Rudino’s fiery speech last month, in which he warned that “not a single nail” would leave Genoa for "Israel", went viral, turning him into a symbolic voice of dockworker resistance.
“It seemed impossible with South Africa,” he said. “But after a total block, they freed Mandela and held elections.”
The pressure is mounting on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose government is facing calls to adopt a tougher stance against "Israel" and to recognize the State of Palestine. The issue has taken center stage in Italy’s regional elections, which began Sunday and continue through November.
Italy’s largest trade union, CGIL, has pledged to call a general strike if the flotilla comes under attack.
