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A loud sound of honking vehicles and dockworkers chanting “you are not welcome” greeted an Israeli-owned container ship when it docked in Livorno this week.

For two days, the protesting dockworkers refused to back down, declining to handle the vessel’s freight in a act of strong support for Palestinians and the international aid convoy attempting to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The action was successful and the vessel, bound for the United States and Canada, departed.

Nationwide Harbor Protests Spread

From Genoa, Trieste and Ravenna in the northern region, to Salerno and Taranto in the southern area, in the past few weeks port workers throughout the country have succeeded in obstructing vessels believed to be carrying arms for Israel, as opposition to the country’s war in Gaza intensifies.

The workers’ resolve to block weapons and stifle trade has been a crucial component of the pro-Palestinian uprising in the nation as pressure increases on Prime Minister Meloni’s conservative administration to adopt a firmer position against Israel.

“The Israeli military is conducting an extermination of people in the Gaza Strip – by taking lives, by starving them,” stated a dockworker, Luca Simoni. “We must not stay silent. We have historically been a port of welcome, not one of conflict. We will continue protesting until this hostilities concludes.”

General Strike Increases Pressure

On Friday, many people demonstrated after Italy’s largest trade union organized the second general strike in less than two weeks, shutting educational institutions, stalling traffic and creating delays on public transport and in medical services. There were also impromptu demonstrations on Wednesday night after military vessels intercepted the flotilla and detained hundreds of activists, including the well-known activist the environmental advocate.

The incident in the Tuscan port was the first time an Israeli ship transporting general merchandise had been blocked.

Popular Sentiment and Political Reaction

Latest polls 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 spoken against Israel’s killing of Palestinians in the past few months, casting it as a “excessive” reaction to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks, and has opened up to Italy recognising a Palestinian state, though with conditions. But she continues trying to walk a fine line between being one of the strongest supporters of Israel in the EU and a friend of Middle Eastern countries, all the while following the line of the US president, Donald Trump.

Still, she is aware of public opinion, especially with Italy in the midst of several regional elections, and has attempted to exploit the protests and aid mission to attack her political rivals.

Meloni has described the flotilla as “dangerous and irresponsible” and, despite the humanitarian mission involving many participants from various nations, she said it was only targeted at “causing difficulties” for her administration. Meloni took a swipe at the national walkout, accusing participants of undertaking “a extended break disguised as a political uprising” while claiming the strike was organized for political reasons and offered no real benefit to the people of Gaza.

“The Meloni government can only survive with scapegoats,” claimed Gianfranco Francese, who heads the local branch of Cgil. “There is also a great contradiction between what the Prime Minister says and what she does,” he continued. “She speaks of being a devoted nationalist, a religious person and a parent, but she has not undertaken any official steps to halt the killing of civilian families.”

Political Stability Amid Protests

But despite the widespread popular feeling shown through the wave of solidarity demonstrations, the ruling party continues to lead in surveys, at around 30%, 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 solidarity with Palestinians which wants an cessation to the conflict,” said Lorenzo Pregliasco, a co-founder of a polling firm. “But you don’t see the impact of this when it comes to vote.”

The analyst mentioned last week’s elections in the central area where the governing alliance won a another term. The same outcome 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 leftwing identity, which would distance people who are horrified with the violence but who are not active supporters”.

Expert Insights

Nadia Urbinati at an American university and the an Italian institution, said the reason why the consequences of the demonstrations were not being seen in elections was because only around fifty percent of the electorate participate in elections.

“And those who do, vote for the right,” she added, explaining that the Prime Minister could easily leverage the protests to weaken rivals.

She said any grassroots activism of citizens was susceptible to being infiltrated by opposing groups, and alleged that this had been happening in order to “criminalise and repress” the solidarity campaign.

Healthcare Community Participate

Susanna Romitelli in Rome, has attended multiple pro-Palestine protests in the city and participated in the protest near Piazza Vittorio on Friday.

“Last night, there was an initiative held in Italy’s hospitals during which we honored the thousands of medics who died in Gaza while trying to help people,” she stated. “It was a very touching moment and we will continue to mobilise. You might not see it in election surveys yet, but I think this administration is becoming deeply concerned of us.”