On September 22, mass demonstrations broke out across Italy, ports were closed, logistics stopped, and stations were occupied.
The protest was not aimed at domestic issues, but in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the far Middle East.
Protesters shouted slogans and refused any weapons support for Israel.
Why is the anger of the Italian people so high?
Can this change the position of the government?
The Israeli conflict has escalated again, and the Gaza Strip has become the focus.
On September 9, an Israeli assault on Gaza during talks on a ceasefire pushed by Qatar completely broke hopes for a ceasefire.
On September 15, Israeli troops entered Gaza City to launch ground operations.
As of September 21st, 68 civilians had been killed in the conflict.
Explosions, smoke and ruins have become a daily sight in Gaza. Medical resources are severely insufficient, and many families have nowhere to escape.
The tragedy in Gaza has sparked a strong resonance among the Italian people.
Demonstrators blocked ports and stations to block any weapons that could be shipped to Israel.
They argue that the Italian government’s military cooperation with Israel is indirectly promoting the war.
The footage showed demonstrators waving flags, shouting “stop the genocide,” and even clashing with the police.
However, the position of the Italian government is very different from that of the people.
Prime Minister Meloni made it clear that two conditions must be met for Italy to recognize the establishment of Palestinian statehood: Palestine must release hostages and Hamas must lose its right to govern.
This statement was seen as a delayed excuse behind concerns about the United States.
As a firm ally of Israel, the U.S. is not only on the international stage for Israel but also plans to sell $6.4 billion worth of weapons to Israel, including helicopters and infantry raids.
This deeply bound American-Israeli coalition has prevented the Italian government from taking the risk of blaming the United States.
At present, the attitude of the international community towards the Palestinian-Israeli issue is increasingly divided.
Countries such as Britain, France and Canada have already recognized the establishment of a Palestinian state, while the United States continues to firmly support Israel.
Although Qatar and other Middle Eastern countries have close relations with the United States, Israel's tough actions have also made these countries dissatisfied with the US-Israel alliance.
Although consensus has gradually been reached within the EU on the Palestinian issue, it remains reluctant in concrete actions.
Italian people's protests revealed the contradiction between the government and public opinion.
Although the demonstrations have had a short-term impact on logistics and social order, it remains unclear whether they will really change the government’s stance.
As Prime Minister Meloni said, recognizing the Palestinian statehood will not fundamentally solve the problem.
Whether domestic protests or international condemnations are difficult to shake the foundations of the US-Israeli alliance.
The complexity of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies not only in historical entanglements, but also in the game of international forces.
Although the Italian people's protests may not directly change the situation, they convey deep concern about the war and humanitarian crisis.
In the future, how to find a peaceful solution in the international landscape is still a common problem faced by the whole world.