The boycott is expected to have a minimal impact on Swedish-Israeli trade, which accounts for 0.2% of the Nordic trade with Israel
1,500 members of the Swedish Port Workers union launched last week a weeklong boycott of Israeli ships and cargo to protest Israel's interception of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla. The members of the Swedish Port Workers Union began the boycott at all Sweden's ports which handle more than 95% of the country's foreign trade. The action is planned to end on June 29.
On the first day of the boycott, dockworkers refused to handle about a dozen cargo containers at a southwestern port. Officials said they expected the boycott to have a minimal impact on Swedish-Israeli trade, which accounts for 0.2 percent of the Nordic country's total imports and exports. Israel ships fruit, vegetables, spices and skin care products to Sweden.
Last year, Swedish exports to Israel were valued at 2.5 billion kronor ($320 million) and imports amounted to some 850 million kronor, according to the Swedish Trade Council.
