Dock workers at the southern French port of Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille have halted the shipment of military equipment bound for Israel, protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza, their union announced Thursday.
The stevedores, represented by the CGT trade union, refused to load crates of ammunition belt links—small metal pieces used to connect machine gun bullets, enabling rapid firing—onto a cargo vessel. Rights groups and media reports have raised concerns that such equipment may have been used against civilians in Gaza.
Christophe Claret, a dockworkers’ representative, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the shipment was identified and isolated before loading. "Once dockers refuse to handle a shipment, no one else can step in," he said, clarifying that other containers would still be loaded.
The blocked cargo consists of 19 pallets of links manufactured by Marseille-based Eurolinks. The CGT stated the action reflects its refusal to "participate in the ongoing genocide orchestrated by the Israeli government." Israel denies allegations of genocide, which have been levied by organizations like Amnesty International.
CGT Secretary General Sophie Binet praised the workers’ protest as part of the union’s "long internationalist tradition for peace." She criticized the French government, stating, "It is unacceptable that dockers must enforce international law and French values. The government must immediately halt all arms deliveries to Israel."
Left-wing politicians, including Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure, voiced support for the protest, with Faure declaring, "Humanism is not for sale."
According to investigative outlet Disclose, two prior shipments from Fos-sur-Mer to Israel’s Haifa port occurred on April 3 and May 22. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu previously asserted that such exports were meant for re-export and not for Israeli military use.
Amnesty International France President Anne Savinel-Barras warned that continued arms transfers risked making France complicit in potential war crimes. "These weapons could be used to commit serious violations of international law in Gaza and the West Bank," she said, urging an embargo.
Eurolinks and the Port of Marseille-Fos declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
Background: Rising Toll in Gaza Conflict
The latest war began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 54,677 deaths, per Gaza’s health ministry, with the UN warning of famine risks for the enclave’s 2 million residents.
France’s government maintains it does not supply weapons to Israel, but critics argue arms components still facilitate the conflict.