Israel’s War Against Palestine: Documenting the Military Occupation of Palestinian and Arab Lands

Swedish blockade of all goods to and from Israel now underway

23 June 2010

Press release from The Swedish Dockworkers Union, section 4, Gothenburg.

2010-06-23

kl. 01.47

The nation-wide blockade of all goods to and from Israel is under way

Tens of containers were put under blockade tonight

By midnight at 00:00 on the 23rd June the Swedish Dock-workers union
week-long blockade of goods to and from Israel started. The ongoing
nation-wide blockade in Swedish harbors, that is based on the request of the
united Palestinian union-movement, is The Swedish Dockworkers Union’s
attempt to contribute to pressure Israel into:

1. Lifting the blockade on Gaza

2. Allowing an independent, international investigation of what happened at
the Israeli boarding of the so called Freedom Flotilla when nine people
were shot to death.

In the harbor of Gothenburg the blockade were initiated without any
complications. About ten containers, both Israeli imports and exports were
immediately identified in the container terminal. All of which have been
separated and will stand untouched in the harbor of Gothenburg until the end
of the blockade at 24:00 the 29th of June.

– Everything has passed very calmly and I believe it will continue to do so
until next Wednesday, says Peter Annerback, chairperson of the Swedish
Dockworkers Union section 4 (Hamn4an) and member of the unions executive
committee in a late comment.

– Since we are not in a conflict with our employers a “conflict-contained”
container that carries any medical equipment will be allowed exemption,
continues Annerback.

– We have identified more goods on its way to or from Israel than we had
expected. We thought the flow of goods would be much lower considering the
blockade has been announced for twenty days, says Hamn4ans trustee Erik
Helgeson.

– Our ambition is of course that our action can be one of many grassroots
initiatives that will keep the eyes of the world focused on the 800.000
children that lives isolated in Gaza. The Palestinian civilian population
must be allowed to rebuild their economy, their infrastructure and freely
integrate with the rest of the world. The war on Gaza and Israel’s brutal
blockade have made all this impossible for over three years now, Helgeson
ends.

The Swedish Dockworkers Union have explained the motives behind the unions
blockade of Israeli goods in two articles:

Newsmill:
www.newsmill.se/artikel/2010/06/18/internationell-hamnblockad-till-stod-for-gazas-civilbefolkning

Dagens ETC:
http://etc.se/30568/vi-kommer-inte-att-sta-ensamma/

www.hamn.nu

www.hamn4an.se

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