New Orleans Stop Helping Israel’s Ports (NOSHIP) has been a presence at the Port of New Orleans board meetings since November. It wants the Port to retract its letter announcing a collaboration with the Port of Ashdod in Israel. It also demands the Port end its contracts with entities supplying weapons to the Israeli government.
Another group, No Harbour for Genocide, is urging ports across world stop sending military fuel to Israel. One member spoke at the Port’s latest board meeting, and demanded that the Port start impounding ships containing aid to Israel.
The Port of New Orleans does not have jurisdiction to make these changes, said the board’s chairman Joseph Toomy, reading an official statement.
“Under the state and federal laws by which this board is created and regulated, we have no power or authority to make political or moral judgments with respect to which ports or countries trade through the Port of New Orleans,” he said.
In a press release, NOSHIP accused the port of using intimidation tactics to prevent people from speaking. Harbor police presence fluctuates from meeting to meeting. After one member of the group, Felix Allen, was arrested while leaving a meeting on March 21, getting his charges dropped was added to the group's demands these last few months. After appearing at several court hearings, the case was dismissed on the same day of the latest board meeting.
“I was just standing there and got tackled as I was trying to leave, so that was really weird,” said Allen, who works in the tourism industry in New Orleans.
“We all have a stake in what happens here economically, but we don't want to have our wages paid in blood money. It's not worth being complicit in a genocide.”
The port did not respond to those accusations in its statement on Thursday.
Is the Port of New Orleans facilitating military aid to Israel?
The board said that it could not find evidence of the amount of weaponry and other forms of aid going to Israel in the International Trade Commission’s database.
“In fact, the U. S. Customs and Border Protection researched their export data for all shipments from Louisiana to Israel during the past year and could not validate any of the items referenced in this report,” said Toomy.
According to the International Trade Commission’s database, in May the port exported over $51,000 worth of military weapons in the category of rocket launchers, flamethrowers and torpedo tubes to Israel. It also sent over $3 million in aircraft and spacecraft parts.
NOSHIP cited some of this data in a press release before the meeting. WWNO confirmed it using the International Trade Commission’s database.
Can the Port of New Orleans stop these exports?
According to the board, the Port cannot under federal law.
“The power to set foreign policy lies exclusively with the federal government, and the power to enforce such policy, including the regulation of international commerce, is specifically granted under the Constitution to the United States Congress -- not this Board,” said Toomy, referencing a clause in the United States Constitution that gives Congress the power “to regulate Commerce with Foreign nations.”
NOSHIP pointed to a state statute that says the Port of New Orleans can “without limitation of said powers” adopt rules and regulations related to the “the protection, removal, and disposition of cargoes.”
“If this is the jurisdiction, I would love to understand what you mean when you say you don't have any authority,” said Gina Kissee, a local resident. “I would love to understand what you mean when you say that you don't have any ability to discover the information that we found in publicly available databases.”
The groups also pointed to the International Court of Justice finding last month that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal. The group cited a letter from The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy that advises nations to refuse to let their ports provision ships carrying military aid to Israel within ports.
“I don't think we can really afford to pass the buck on this one. I mean, you're the port authority, so surely we have some authority here,” said Allen in his comment to the board.
Also opposing the Louisiana International Terminal
Many of those commenting also opposed the board entering a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Louisiana state government. Entering this would give the Port access to more than $13 million for planning and construction of the Louisiana International Terminal, a $1.8 billion container terminal project planned for Violet, LA.
“You can't do anything about the things that are going through this port, and yet you have the power to overstep people in St. Bernard Parish and take over this land, over a thousand acres. acres including wetlands in St. Bernard Parish,” said Kissee.
The speakers expressed solidarity with Save Our St Bernard, a group of parish residents that is opposed to the new container terminal. Earlier this year, the parish government put out a report saying the project would affect the environment, health and quality of life of those who live in the area.
The board approved the agreement 5-0.
Save Our St. Bernard did not attend the public meeting and did not respond to a request for comment.
