FLASH
Shkruar nga PamfletiThe Italian prime minister has come under fire amid strikes and clashes with police, as 2 million protesters demand solidarity with the Palestinians.
"Italy is standing by the United States and waiting for the US to act."
Italy has been deeply troubled by a nationwide general strike called in solidarity with the Palestinian people, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The strike - called by Italy's influential unions and declared illegal by authorities - affected public transport, schools, railways and ports, as protesters demanded an end to the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
Tens of thousands of people marched through Rome and other cities, while small groups of protesters clashed with police in several places. In Turin, protesters stormed an airport runway, briefly forcing its closure, and looted a conference venue.
"Revolutions and long weekends don't go together," Meloni told reporters before the strike began. "I still believe that all this does not bring any benefit to the Palestinian people. On the other hand, I understand that it will cause a lot of difficulties for the Italian people."
The attack comes after the Israeli military intercepted a flotilla of about 45 ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and arrested activists on board, including 40 Italians, some of whom were opposition lawmakers.
Meloni had criticized the flotilla as a media stunt that risked undermining US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the conflict in Gaza with his new peace plan.
Small pro-Palestinian protests have also taken place in other European cities since the seizure of the aid flotilla, including Geneva, Paris and cities in Spain.
Italy's second general strike in two weeks reflects Meloni's difficult balancing act as she confronts widespread public anger over the plight of Gaza while trying to stay in sync with Trump, a strong supporter of Israel, said Daniele Albertazzi, a political scientist at the University of Surrey.
"Meloni is in a bit of a difficult situation," Albertazzi said. "I don't think she can ignore the weight of public opinion and these deep feelings towards the Palestinians and the way the war has been waged." But, he added, "she wants Italy's position to be as pro-Israel as possible in these circumstances."
This summer, a poll conducted by Youtrend, a leading political organization, found that about 63 percent of Italians believe that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza and that innocent civilians are the main victims of Israel's offensive against Hamas.
Meloni is increasingly isolated in Europe after France, the United Kingdom, Spain and others recognized Palestinian statehood. "She can make clear critical statements - and she has - but at the end of the day, is she putting pressure on Israel along with the others? She's not," Albertazzi said.
The prime minister said last week that recognizing Palestinian statehood "in the absence of a state that has the necessary sovereignty, does not solve the problem" because it "does not provide tangible and concrete results for the Palestinians."
However, Meloni said Rome would take the step if Hamas handed over all remaining Israeli hostages and was excluded from any future government.
Originally a strong supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu, Meloni has become critical of his tactics, calling Israel's offensive in Gaza unjustified and disproportionate. However, Rome has taken few steps to pressure Netanyahu's government to change course.
Israel has denied that its military has been involved in war crimes in the besieged enclave, claiming that Hamas hides fighters and weapons behind civilian infrastructure.
Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein, who joined the protest in Rome on Friday, sharply criticized Meloni's approach, saying the prime minister had used "harsher words and attacks against flotilla activists than she had ever used against Netanyahu's crimes in Gaza and the West Bank." But Albertazzi said Meloni was unlikely to change tack: "She will not want to be seen as backing down in the face of attacks. Italy is standing by the United States and waiting for the US to act."/ Financial Times
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