The demonstrations, the strike movements and the blockages are underway this Monday, September 22 in several Italian cities, where the unions requested the mobilization to “denounce the genocide in Gaza”, demanding economic and diplomatic sanctions against Israel.
This mobilization comes the day when France and several other countries must recognize the state of Palestine at the UN, following the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada on Sunday. But Italy, very cautious in the file, does not want to join this decision at the moment.
In Rome, hundreds of high school students gathered in front of the Termini station, brandishing Palestinian flags, shouts of “free Palestine!”. Michelangelo, 17, explains that he is there to support “a population that is being exterminated.” Francesca Tecchia 18, “for the first time” is manifested, but “what is happening (in Gaza) is too important,” he explains.
“Italy speaks but does nothing”
“All Italy has to stop today,” said Federica Casino, a 52 -year -old employee presents among young protesters, evoking “dead children and destroyed hospitals” in Gaza. “Italy speaks but does nothing,” he crosses.
The demonstrations are also underway in Milan, Turin (North), Florence (Center) Naples, Bari, Palermo (South). In Genoa and Livorno (Centro Norte), the port docks were blocked by Dockers, according to Italian agencies. In Rome, many buses do not circulate and the Metro service is interrupted, AFP said.
The ultra conservative government of Giorgia Meloni, ideologically close to the US president Donald Trump, adopts a very cautious position in the war in Gaza, even if the prime minister said on several occasions his “concern” against the Israeli offensive.
Rome reluctant to recognize the State
Rome does not want to recognize “for the moment” the state of Palestine and is reluctant to the commercial sanctions proposed by the European Union. According to a recent survey of the only numbers institute, 63.8% of Italians consider the humanitarian situation in Gaza “very seriously, and 40.6% want to recognize a Palestinian state.
The Israeli army has intensified its operations in Gaza for a few days, already devastated by almost two years of war, with the aim of “destroying” the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, responsible for the attack of October 7, 2023 in Israel.
This unprecedented attack led to the death of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to official data. According to the Hamas Government Ministry of Government in Gaza, Israeli reprisals cost the lives of 65,062 Palestinians, mostly civilians, in the Gaza Strip.
Source: BFM TV
