US activists urge boycotting Israeli ships

A number of activists in the United States have called for boycotting Israel’s shipments at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in protest against Tel Aviv’s apartheid policies.

US trucks are planning to disrupt Israeli commerce at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Press TV correspondent Ross Frasier reported from Los Angeles.

The Israeli shipping line Zim uses the ports to dock ships and unload cargo.

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

There are also demonstrations scheduled for Oakland, California and Seattle and Tacoma in 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,” Garrick Ruiz with Boycott, Divest and Sanction Los Angeles told Press TV.

He said that Israel should not be making profits while bombing the people of Gaza, adding that they want 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 protesters, West Coast ports have the opportunity to send the same message to Israel.

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

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

Activists said they plan to stop even more ships this time, from Long Beach to Seattle.