Paris Airport Cargo Workers Refuse to Load "Security Shipment" for Israel
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Cargo workers at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport have refused to load a shipment onto an El Al flight, claiming it is destined for Israeli defense company Elbit. A pro-Palestinian campaign alerted unions, which instructed workers not to handle the cargo. The shipment was initially intended for an Air France flight, which departed without it. The workers are now refusing to load it onto an El Al flight scheduled for Monday, citing France's human rights commitments.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Paris airport cargo workers refused to load a shipment for Israel onto an El Al flight.
- A pro-Palestinian campaign claims the shipment is for Israeli defense firm Elbit.
- Labor unions at the airport instructed workers not to handle the cargo.
- The shipment was previously intended for an Air France flight but was not loaded.
- French authorities state adherence to export bans on security equipment to Israel.
Cargo workers at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport have refused to load a shipment onto an El Al flight, which a pro-Palestinian campaign claims is destined for the Israeli company Elbit. European news outlets reported the incident on Sunday.
A pro-Palestinian campaign identified a shipment of vehicle gearboxes, believed to be for the Israeli firm Elbit, and alerted labor unions, which are reportedly left-leaning. The campaign urged unions not to allow the cargo onto Air France flights, circulating messages on social media calling for vigilance.
The unions announced their support for the ban and instructed their members not to handle the cargo. Initially, pro-Palestinian activists claimed the shipment was meant for an Air France flight departing Thursday morning. Air France denied any security cargo was involved, and the flight departed as scheduled. Two more Air France flights on this route operated on Sunday.
However, the pro-Palestinian campaign and the airport workers' union now assert that due to their actions, the cargo remained in Paris and is scheduled for an El Al flight on Monday. They have stated their refusal to load it onto flight LY220, set to depart at 10:50 PM local time.
Pro-Palestinian legal organizations have contacted the French presidency demanding clarification on export permits for the shipment, while urging ground workers to prevent its handling, citing France's human rights commitments. The French Foreign Ministry stated the government adheres to export bans on security equipment to Israel. Air France confirmed it does not transport security equipment to Israel, aligning with French government policy, which does not include a ban on dual-use equipment like vehicle gearboxes that could potentially be part of an air defense system.
Sources close to the pro-Palestinian campaign told The New Arab that the shipment remained in France following Thursday's action. Similar incidents have occurred previously, with workers' unions in Italian and Spanish ports refusing to allow cargo suspected of being destined for Israeli defense companies to pass through. Earlier this month, a French labor initiative was launched demanding similar measures.
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