On Oct. 16, Palestinian trade unions issued a call to action for organized labor and workers everywhere ​“to halt the sale and funding of arms to Israel — and related military research.”

The Palestinian labor coalition — including the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions — specifically called on trade unions around the world to: Refuse to manufacture weapons destined for Israel, refuse to transport weapons to Israel, pass motions in their individual trade unions demanding the same, take action against companies complicit in the siege of Gaza, and apply pressure to governments to stop supporting and funding the Israeli war machine.

In response, workers, trade unionists and activists in countries including the UK and Belgium have taken action to disrupt the supply of arms and other military equipment to Israel.

In England, unionists, workers and activists blocked entrances and staged protests at sites in Bristol, Kent and Staffordshire linked to Elbit Systems, one of Israel's largest weapons manufacturers.

Belgian transport workers' unions called on their members to refuse to handle military equipment being sent to Israel.

In the USA, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets and companies fronts to protest Israel’s assault on Gaza while local unions members push for a ceasefire and more local unions action to build a national momentum for effective union action.