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A deafening chorus of blaring horns and port employees shouting “you are not welcome” greeted an Israeli-owned cargo vessel when it arrived in Livorno this week.

For two days, the protesting port laborers refused to back down, refusing to handle the vessel’s freight in a display of strong support for Palestinians and the international aid convoy striving to bring humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The protest was successful and the ship, headed to the US and Canada, left the port.

Nationwide Harbor Protests Spread

From northern ports in the north, to southern harbors in the south, in the past few weeks port workers throughout the country have managed in obstructing vessels suspected to be transporting arms for the Israeli military, as opposition to the country’s war in Gaza intensifies.

The workers’ resolve to block weapons and stifle trade has been a key element of the pro-Palestinian uprising in Italy as pressure mounts on Giorgia Meloni’s conservative administration to take a stronger stance against the Israeli government.

“Israel is carrying out an extermination of people in Gaza – by taking lives, by starving them,” said a dockworker, Luca Simoni. “We cannot remain indifferent. We have historically 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, many people demonstrated after Italy’s largest trade union organized the second general strike in less than two weeks, closing schools, stalling traffic and creating delays on mass transit and in medical services. There were also impromptu demonstrations on midweek after Israeli forces stopped the aid convoy and arrested numerous participants, including the prominent campaigner the environmental advocate.

The event in Livorno was the first time an Israeli ship transporting commercial goods had been prevented from docking.

Popular Sentiment and Political Reaction

Recent surveys show strong backing among the public – including a substantial share of voters of Meloni’s ruling coalition – for the recognition of a Palestinian state and in support of the humanitarian convoy.

The Prime Minister has criticised Israel’s killing of Palestinians in the past few months, casting it as a “disproportionate” reaction to the militant group’s assault, and has opened up to Italy recognising a sovereign Palestine, though with conditions. But she still attempts 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 aligning with the policies of the US president, the former president.

Still, she is mindful of voter sentiment, especially with the country in the throes of several regional elections, and has attempted to exploit the protests and aid mission to criticize her political rivals.

Meloni has characterized the flotilla as “dangerous and irresponsible” and, despite the humanitarian mission involving hundreds of activists from different countries, she said it was only aimed at “causing difficulties” for her government. She criticized the national walkout, accusing participants of undertaking “a extended break masquerading as a political uprising” while stating the strike was organized for political reasons and offered no real benefit to Gaza.

“The Meloni government can only remain in power with scapegoats,” claimed a union leader, who heads the Livorno unit of Cgil. “There is also a great contradiction between what Meloni says and what she implements,” he continued. “She speaks of being a devoted nationalist, a Christian and a parent, but she has not undertaken any official steps to stop the massacre of civilian families.”

Government Standing Amid Protests

But despite the widespread popular feeling shown through the wave of solidarity demonstrations, Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party remains ahead in polls, at approximately thirty percent, and she has led an uncharacteristically stable Italian government since coming to power in October 2022.

“On one hand, there is the majority of the population in supporting Palestinians which desires an cessation to the war,” said a political analyst, a founder of a polling firm. “But you don’t see the impact of this when it comes to vote.”

Pregliasco mentioned recent regional votes in the Marche region where the governing alliance won a another term. The similar result is anticipated in votes in Veneto and Calabria.

He said there was “a real risk of the pro-Palestinian activism having too much of a partisan association, which would distance individuals who are appalled with the violence but who are not pro-Palestinian militants”.

Expert Perspectives

A political scientist at an American university and the University of Bologna, said the reason why the effects of the demonstrations were not being reflected in elections was because only around fifty percent of Italian voters participate in elections.

“And the ones who vote, support conservative parties,” she said, noting that the Prime Minister could readily leverage the unrest to weaken rivals.

She said any grassroots activism 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.

Medical Professionals Join

Susanna Romitelli in Rome, has joined several demonstrations in the Italian capital and participated in the protest near a central square on Friday.

“Recently, there was an event held in Italy’s hospitals during which we remembered the many healthcare workers who died in Gaza while providing aid,” she stated. “It was a very touching moment and we will keep organizing. You may not observe it in election surveys yet, but I think this administration is starting to be deeply concerned of us.”