Italian trade unions call national general strike on Friday.
Protests erupted in Rome and cities across Italy late on Wednesday after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Israeli naval forces boarded 13 boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, which comprises 47 civilian vessels and about 500 activists, lawyers and parliamentarians from 44 countries including Italy.
Around 200 crew members were detained overnight, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and 22 Italians, according to a flotilla spokesperson quoted by Al Jazeera.
“The Italians will go to Israel and then be expelled”, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani told state broadcaster RAI News, specifying that his government had given the Israeli military “very clear” instructions: “No acts of violence against the people on board the flotilla.”
Protests
An estimated 10,000 people marched through the streets of Rome on Wednesday evening, first to Termini train station which was closed off by police, before heading to the central Piazza San Silvestro, under banners with messages against Israel and Italy’s right-wing government.
In Naples, demonstrators halted train traffic in the main railway station, with protests breaking out in dozens of other cities around Italy including Bologna, Florence, Genova and Turin.
Strike
The CGIL and USB trade unions called a general strike on Friday – when Italy will already be affected by a national rail strike – in support of the flotilla.
“The aggression against civilian ships carrying Italian citizens is an extremely serious matter,” the CGIL union said, adding that “it is not only a crime against defenceless people, but it is also serious that the Italian government has abandoned Italian workers in open international waters, violating our constitutional principles.”
The national general strike will involve all public and private sectors and will last all day Friday, CGIL said, confirming that “essential services will be guaranteed, as established by industry regulations.”
The USB union said: “We cannot remain silent in the face of an attack that tramples on democratic values and human dignity. It’s time to react, now.”
Numerous smaller trade unions, including CUB and SGB, are also set to participate in Friday’s strike.
Salvini
Italy’s transport minister Matteo Salvini, recognised recently as “Israel’s best friend in Italy”, is evaluating whether to order an injunction to block the strike, a tactic he has used in the past.
“We will not allow the CGIL and left-wing extremists to bring chaos to Italy” – Salvini wrote on X – “We will not tolerate any sudden general strike.”
Photo RAI News
