GNV News, 2 November 2026

On 30 October 2026, dockworkers at 113 ports in 22 countries around the world went on strike simultaneously. Their aim was to protest Israel’s military attacks on the Gaza Strip in Palestine. Many of the weapons and weapon components destined for Israel are transported by sea, and the dockworkers effectively refused to assist in moving them. From workers in Europe, voices were heard saying that “the labour movement can stop war. It can stop the genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Taking part in the strike were unions of dockworkers from 22 countries, including European countries such as Italy, France, Germany, and Spain, as well as Australia, the United States, Mexico, and India. In France, Italy, India, Turkey, and other countries, 24‑hour strikes were called, while at other ports strikes of up to two hours were urged.

More than 90% of Israel’s imports are transported by sea, and it has been said that “ports around the world are key nodes of Israel’s apartheid economy.” According to the research campaign group No Harbor for Genocide (NHG), in the slightly more than one‑year period between August 2025 and September 2026, 315 shipments of components bound for Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, were transported via 56 commercial ports in 29 countries. All 56 of these ports took part in this strike.

The group estimated that more than US$2 billion worth of cargo would be held up in just this one day. Some supply‑chain management companies warned their customers that operational disruptions and shipping delays might occur. However, logistics experts also suggested that “if it’s only about a day, the impact in terms of disruption will not be that significant.”

The first strike by dockworkers was held in February 2026 at more than 20 ports along the Mediterranean coast. After that, unions in other countries and ports joined the movement, issuing the “Istanbul Declaration” in May 2026 and designating October 30 as a day of action. The movement is said to be spreading from the ports to other labour unions as well.

Port of Piraeus, Greece (Photo: Aaaatu / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 4.0])