The Barcelona port stevedores’ union has refused to load and unload any military material amid the war in Gaza and urged the protection of civilian populations in areas of conflict, following a similar move by Belgian transport unions last week. The decision is mostly symbolic and seeks to encourage other Spanish ports to follow suit. The OEPB union, which represents the 1,200 stevedores at Barcelona’s port, has called for organizations promoting peace to help the union figure out which containers contain military equipment. The union opposes all types of violence wherever it happens, including in Israel and the Palestinian territories, and its boycott seeks to protect civilians anywhere. The boycott comes as the war in Gaza has escalated into a humanitarian crisis, with more than 2,000 people killed and thousands more injured and displaced. The war has also sparked protests and solidarity movements around the world, calling for an end to the violence and a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Barcelona Port Stevedores Union is one of the many groups that have expressed their support for the Palestinian cause and their condemnation of the Israeli aggression. The union has also criticized the Spanish government for its complicity in the war, as Spain is one of the main arms suppliers to Israel. The union has demanded that the government stop selling weapons to Israel and respect international law and human rights.

   The response to the problem of military shipments from Barcelona has been limited to symbolic gestures such as the boycott by the Barcelona port stevedores union. The problem persists because of the lack of a comprehensive international framework to regulate the trade of military equipment. The international community has failed to address the issue of arms trade, which fuels conflicts and human rights abuses around the world. The United States, Russia, China, France, and Germany are the top five arms exporters in the world, accounting for 76% of the global arms trade. These countries have vested interests in the arms trade and are unlikely to support any meaningful regulation of the trade. The arms trade is a lucrative business, and the powerful arms lobby exerts significant influence on governments and international organizations. The response to the problem of military shipments from Barcelona fails to address the root causes of the problem and is limited to symbolic gestures.The problem of military shipments from Barcelona is not an isolated case, but a reflection of a global phenomenon. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the global arms trade reached a record high of $95 billion in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recession. The arms trade has increased by 23% since 2010, and the Middle East and Asia are the main regions of arms imports. The arms trade has contributed to the escalation of conflicts and the violation of human rights in many countries, such as Yemen, Syria, Myanmar, and Ethiopia. The arms trade has also undermined the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it diverts resources from social and environmental needs and fuels inequality and corruption.

   The international community should establish a comprehensive framework to regulate the trade of military equipment. The framework should include measures to prevent the transfer of arms to countries that violate human rights and international law. The framework should also include provisions to ensure transparency in the arms trade and to hold arms exporters accountable for their actions. The arms trade should be subject to democratic oversight and public scrutiny, and civil society should play an active role in monitoring and reporting the arms trade. The framework should also promote the reduction of military spending and the redirection of resources to social and environmental priorities. The framework should be based on the principles of peace, justice, and human dignity, and should aim to prevent and resolve conflicts through peaceful means.One of the possible instruments to implement such a framework is the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which entered into force in 2014 and has been ratified by 110 countries. The ATT is the first legally binding treaty that regulates the international trade of conventional weapons, such as tanks, aircraft, missiles, and small arms. The ATT requires states to assess the potential impact of arms transfers on human rights, international humanitarian law, and regional security, and to deny the transfers if there is a risk of negative consequences. The ATT also obliges states to report their arms exports and imports annually and to cooperate in preventing and combating the diversion of arms to unauthorized users. The ATT is a significant step forward in the regulation of the arms trade, but it also faces many challenges and limitations. The ATT does not cover all types of weapons, such as nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, and it does not address the issue of domestic arms production and use. The ATT also lacks effective mechanisms to ensure compliance and enforcement, and it depends on the political will and capacity of states to implement it. Moreover, some of the major arms exporters and importers, such as the United States, Russia, China, India, and Saudi Arabia, have not joined the ATT or have not ratified it.The Barcelona port stevedores union has shown its commitment to peace and human rights by refusing to handle military material amid the war in Gaza. The union has also raised awareness about the problem of the arms trade and its impact on the world. The union’s action is an example of how civil society can influence the arms trade and challenge the status quo. However, the union’s action is not enough to solve the problem of the arms trade, which requires a global and coordinated response. The international community should adopt a comprehensive framework to regulate the trade of military equipment, and to ensure that the arms trade does not fuel conflicts and human rights abuses. The international community should also support the implementation of the ATT and its universalization, and strengthen its effectiveness and accountability. The international community should work together to create a world where the arms trade is not a source of violence and suffering, but a tool for peace and security.