Activists urge western US ports to boycott Israeli ships

Activists urge western US ports to boycott Israeli ships
Thu Aug 14, 2014 17:17:56

US-based activists have urged the boycotting of shipments from the Israeli regime at American West-coast ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to protest Tel Aviv’s apartheid policies.

US commercial trucks are reportedly planning to disrupt incoming Israeli commerce at the two major ports, which are used by Israeli shipping line Zim to dock cargo ships and unload goods produced in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

The anti-Israeli protest is the first in a series of actions targeting the ports on America’s West Coast.

Moreover, the activists have scheduled protest rallies in nearby city of Oakland in California as well cities of Seattle and Tacoma in neighboring Washington State.

“We’re going to be attempted to disrupt Israeli commerce in any way we can until the occupation ends, until Israel’s apartheid policies are ended,” said Garrick Ruiz, who represents the  Boycott, Divest and Sanction campaign against the Israeli regime in Los Angeles.
He said the Zionist regime should not be making profits while bombing the people of Gaza, adding that they want US truck drivers to leave Israeli goods on the docks.

“We’re out here talking to workers, making contacts, letting them know that we plan to be out here you know again and again targeting Israeli ships when they’re here,” Ruiz said.

The demonstrators used the slogan "Zionism is not welcome on our coast," and said they plan to fight Israeli apartheid by blocking boats and stopping trucks.

Previous port actions helped to end apartheid in South Africa. According to the protesters, West Coast ports have the opportunity to send a similar message to the Israeli regime.

Organizers said that they want the owners of Zim to know that the West Coast ports are officially closed to their incoming cargo.

Four years ago, protesters successfully stopped two Zim ships from unloading at the port of Oakland.

Activists said they plan to stop even more Israeli ships this time, from docking at US ports from Long Beach all the way up north to Seattle.

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