🔗 Share this article

A piercing sound of blaring horns and port employees shouting “you are not welcome” greeted an Israel-linked cargo vessel when it docked in the Tuscan port city this week.

For 48 hours, the striking dockworkers stood their ground, declining to unload and reload the vessel’s freight in a display of strong support for the people of Gaza and the Global Sumud flotilla striving to deliver humanitarian assistance to the besieged territory. The action was successful and the vessel, headed to the United States and Canada, left the port.

Countrywide Harbor Protests Expand

From Genoa, Trieste and Ravenna in the north, to southern harbors in the south, in recent weeks port workers across Italy have managed in obstructing ships suspected to be transporting arms for the Israeli military, as opposition to the country’s war in Gaza grows stronger.

The workers’ resolve to prevent arms shipments and disrupt commerce has been a key element of the solidarity movement in Italy as pressure increases on Prime Minister Meloni’s conservative administration to adopt a firmer position against the Israeli government.

“Israel is carrying out an extermination of civilians in the Gaza Strip – by killing them, by starving them,” said a dockworker, one protester. “We must not stay silent. We have historically been a port of welcome, not one of war. We will keep demonstrating until this war ends.”

National Walkout Increases Tension

On Friday, many people took to the streets after Italy’s largest trade union called the second general strike in less than two weeks, closing schools, disrupting transport and causing disruption on public transport and in healthcare. There were also spontaneous protests on Wednesday night after Israeli forces stopped the aid convoy and detained numerous participants, including the prominent campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The event in Livorno was the initial instance an Israeli ship transporting general merchandise had been blocked.

Public Opinion and Political Reaction

Recent surveys show significant support among the public – including a substantial share of voters of the governing alliance – for the recognition of a Palestinian state and in support of the humanitarian convoy.

The Prime Minister has spoken against the deaths caused by Israel of Palestinians in recent months, casting it as a “disproportionate” response to the militant group’s assault, and has opened up to the country recognizing a sovereign Palestine, albeit with caveats. But she continues trying to walk a fine line between being one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the European Union and a ally of Middle Eastern countries, all the while aligning with the line of the US president, the former president.

Still, she is aware of public opinion, especially with Italy in the midst of multiple local votes, and has attempted to exploit the demonstrations and aid mission to criticize her political rivals.

Meloni has characterized the flotilla as “risky and reckless” and, despite the humanitarian mission involving many participants from different countries, she said it was only targeted at “creating problems” for her administration. She took a swipe at Friday’s general strike, claiming Italians of undertaking “a extended break disguised as a revolution” while stating the strike was politically orchestrated and offered no real benefit to Gaza.

“The current administration can only remain in power with scapegoats,” claimed a union leader, who leads the Livorno unit of the major trade union. “There is also a great contradiction between what Meloni claims and what she does,” he continued. “She speaks of being a devoted nationalist, a religious person and a parent, but she has not undertaken any political or diplomatic action to halt the massacre of civilian families.”

Political Stability Amid Protests

But despite the strong public sentiment reflected by the wave of solidarity demonstrations, the ruling party remains ahead in polls, at around 30%, and she has headed an unusually steady Italian government since taking office in late 2022.

“From one perspective, there is the larger part of the population in supporting Palestinians which wants an end to the conflict,” explained a political analyst, a founder of a polling firm. “But you don’t see the impact of this when it time to cast ballots.”

The analyst mentioned recent regional votes in the Marche region where Meloni’s coalition won a second mandate. The same outcome is expected in elections in Veneto and Calabria.

He said there was “a genuine danger of the pro-Palestinian activism having an overly strong of a partisan association, which would alienate people who are appalled with the war but who are not active supporters”.

Expert Insights

Nadia Urbinati at New York’s Columbia University and the an Italian institution, said the explanation why the effects of the demonstrations were not being seen in elections was because barely half of the electorate participate in elections.

“And the ones who vote, support conservative parties,” she said, explaining that the Prime Minister could readily use the unrest to disarm opponents.

She said any grassroots activism of citizens was vulnerable to being infiltrated by antagonists, and alleged that this had been occurring in order to “criminalise and repress” the solidarity campaign.

Medical Community Participate

Susanna Romitelli in the capital, has joined multiple pro-Palestine protests in the city and marched in the protest near Piazza Vittorio on Friday.

“Last night, there was an event held in Italy’s hospitals during which we honored the thousands of medics who died in Gaza while trying to help people,” she stated. “It was a deeply emotional occasion and we will continue to mobilise. You might not see it in election surveys yet, but I believe this administration is becoming very afraid of the people.”