Israel Eases Gaza Blockade, Will Allow In All Goods Except For Weapons

[Magda Hassan]

While Israel is apparently letting in goods of a non-military nature others are not letting in any Israeli goods at all.

Protesters prevent unloading of Israeli ship
David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff
Writer
Sunday, June 20, 2010
(06-20) 12:35 PDT OAKLAND --
Hundreds of demonstrators, gathering at the Port of Oakland before dawn,
prevented the unloading of an Israeli cargo ship.
The demonstrators, demanding an end to Israel's blockade of the Gaza
Strip, picketed at Berth 58, where a ship from Israel's Zim shipping
line is scheduled to dock later today. The day shift of longshoremen
agreed not to cross the picket line.
International pressure to end the Gaza closure has increased since
Israeli commandos stormed a flotilla of ships attempting to run the
blockade on May 31, killing nine people. Last week, Israeli officials
announced that they would loosen but not lift the blockade, allowing
more goods to enter the impoverished area.
"Our view is that the state of Israel can not engage in acts of
piracy and kill people on the high seas and still think their cargo can
go anywhere in the world," said Richard Becker, an organizer with
ANSWER, one of many peace and labor groups involved in Sunday's action.
Becker estimated that 600 to 700 people joined the demonstration,
many of them arriving at 5:30 a.m. Oakland police, who estimated the
crowd at 500 people, reported no arrests.
The demonstrators want to block the unloading of the Zim ship for a
full day. After convincing the day shift of longshoreman to honor the
picket line, the demonstrators dispersed around 10 a.m., Becker said.
The ship is scheduled to arrive in mid-afternoon, and the demonstrators
plan to gather again around 4:30 p.m. and re-establish their picket line
before the evening shift of longshoremen arrives at 6 p.m.