'Starting to be very afraid': Italy's Gaza Demonstrations Increase Pressure on Prime Minister Meloni

A deafening sound of honking vehicles and port employees shouting “you are not welcome” greeted an Israeli-owned container ship when it arrived in the Tuscan port city this week.

For 48 hours, the striking port laborers stood their ground, refusing to handle the vessel’s freight in a act of defiant solidarity for the people of Gaza and the international aid convoy striving to bring humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The action was a triumph and the vessel, headed to the United States and Canada, left the port.

Countrywide Harbor Actions Expand

From northern ports in the north, to Salerno and Taranto in the south, in recent weeks port workers throughout the country have succeeded in obstructing vessels believed to be carrying weapons for the Israeli military, as opposition to the country’s war in the Gaza Strip grows stronger.

The dockers’ determination to prevent arms shipments and stifle trade has been a crucial component of the pro-Palestinian uprising in the nation as demands mounts on Giorgia Meloni’s conservative administration to adopt a firmer position against the Israeli government.

“The Israeli military is conducting an systematic destruction of civilians in the Gaza Strip – by taking lives, by depriving them of food,” stated a port employee, Luca Simoni. “We cannot remain indifferent. We have always been a harbor of refuge, not one of war. We will continue protesting until this war ends.”

General Strike Adds Pressure

On the end of the week, thousands demonstrated after Italy’s largest trade union organized the latest nationwide walkout in less than two weeks, shutting educational institutions, disrupting transport and creating delays on mass transit and in healthcare. There were also impromptu demonstrations on midweek after military vessels intercepted the flotilla and detained hundreds of activists, including the well-known activist the environmental advocate.

The event in the Tuscan port was the initial instance an vessel from Israel transporting general merchandise had been blocked.

Popular Sentiment and Government Response

Recent surveys show strong backing among the public – including a substantial share of voters of the governing alliance – for the recognition of a independent Palestine and in support of the flotilla aid mission.

Meloni has criticised Israel’s killing of Palestinians in recent months, describing it as a “disproportionate” reaction to the militant group’s assault, and has opened up to Italy recognising a Palestinian state, albeit with caveats. But she continues trying to maintain the delicate balance between being one of the strongest supporters of Israel in the European Union and a friend of Middle Eastern countries, all the while following the policies of the US president, Donald Trump.

Still, she is mindful of voter sentiment, especially with Italy in the throes of multiple local votes, and has sought to use the protests and flotilla to attack her leftwing opponents.

Meloni has described the convoy as “risky and reckless” and, despite the humanitarian mission involving hundreds of activists from different countries, she said it was only targeted at “causing difficulties” for her administration. She took a swipe at Friday’s general strike, accusing Italians of undertaking “a long weekend disguised as a revolution” while claiming the strike was organized for political reasons and offered no real benefit to Gaza.

“The current administration can only survive with someone to blame,” claimed Gianfranco Francese, who leads the local branch of the major trade union. “There is also a great contradiction between what the Prime Minister claims and what she implements,” he continued. “She talks about being a devoted nationalist, a Christian and a mother, but she has not taken any political or diplomatic action to halt the killing of women and children.”

Political Stability Despite Protests

But despite the strong public sentiment shown through the wave of pro-Palestinian protests, Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party continues to lead in polls, at around 30%, and she has led an uncharacteristically stable national administration since coming to power in October 2022.

“On one hand, there is the majority of the population in solidarity with Gaza which wants an cessation to the war,” said Lorenzo Pregliasco, a co-founder of YouTrend. “But you won’t observe the effects of this when it time to cast ballots.”

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

Pregliasco 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 violence but who are not pro-Palestinian militants”.

Expert Insights

Nadia Urbinati at New York’s Columbia University and the University of Bologna, said the explanation why the consequences of the demonstrations were not being reflected in voting was because only around fifty percent of the electorate go to the polls.

“And the ones who vote, support conservative parties,” she added, explaining that the Prime Minister could readily leverage the protests to disarm opponents.

She said every spontaneous movement of the public was susceptible to being infiltrated by opposing groups, and alleged that this had been occurring in order to “discredit and suppress” the solidarity campaign.

Healthcare Professionals Participate

Susanna Romitelli in Rome, has attended several demonstrations in the Italian capital and marched in the protest near Piazza Vittorio on Friday.

“Last night, there was an event held in medical facilities during which we honored the many healthcare workers killed in Gaza while trying to help people,” she stated. “It was a deeply emotional occasion and we will keep organizing. You may not observe it in political polls yet, but I think this government is starting to be very afraid of the people.”