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A piercing chorus of honking vehicles and dockworkers chanting “you are not welcome” welcomed an Israel-linked container ship when it docked in Livorno this week.

For 48 hours, the protesting port laborers refused to back down, declining to handle the ship’s cargo in a display of defiant solidarity for Palestinians and the international aid convoy striving to bring humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The action was a triumph and the ship, headed to the US and Canada, left the port.

Countrywide Port Protests Expand

From Genoa, Trieste and Ravenna in the northern region, to southern harbors in the southern area, in recent weeks dock laborers across Italy have succeeded in blocking ships believed to be carrying weapons for the Israeli military, as resistance to the conflict in the Gaza Strip intensifies.

The workers’ resolve to block weapons and disrupt commerce has been a crucial component of the pro-Palestinian uprising in Italy as pressure mounts on Giorgia Meloni’s conservative administration to take a stronger stance against Israel.

“Israel is carrying out an systematic destruction of civilians in Gaza – by killing them, by starving them,” said a port employee, Luca Simoni. “We cannot remain indifferent. We have always been a harbor of refuge, not one of conflict. We will continue protesting until this war concludes.”

General Strike Increases Pressure

On Friday, many people took to the streets after Italy’s largest trade union organized the latest nationwide walkout in under 14 days, shutting educational institutions, disrupting transport and creating delays on mass transit and in healthcare. There were also spontaneous protests on Wednesday night after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla and detained hundreds of activists, including the well-known activist the environmental advocate.

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

Public Opinion and Political Reaction

Recent surveys show strong backing among Italians – including a considerable portion of voters of the governing alliance – for the establishment of a Palestinian state and in support of the humanitarian convoy.

Meloni has spoken against Israel’s killing of Palestinians in the past few months, describing it as a “excessive” reaction to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks, and has opened up to Italy recognising a sovereign Palestine, albeit with caveats. But she still attempts to walk a fine line between being one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the European Union and a friend of Arab nations, all the while following the policies of the US president, the former president.

Still, she is mindful of public opinion, especially with Italy in the midst of multiple local votes, and has sought to exploit the protests and aid mission to criticize her political rivals.

The Prime Minister has described the flotilla as “risky and reckless” and, despite the aid effort involving many participants from different countries, she said it was only aimed at “creating problems” for her administration. Meloni criticized the national walkout, accusing Italians of undertaking “a long weekend masquerading as a revolution” while claiming the event 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 leads the local branch of Cgil. “There is also a great contradiction between what the Prime Minister says and what she does,” he added. “She speaks of being a great patriot, a religious person and a mother, but she has not undertaken any official steps to stop the killing of women and children.”

Political Stability Amid Unrest

But despite the widespread popular feeling shown through the series of solidarity demonstrations, the ruling party continues to lead in polls, at around 30%, and she has headed an unusually steady Italian government since taking office in late 2022.

“From one perspective, there is the larger part of the population in solidarity with Palestinians which wants an end to the conflict,” explained Lorenzo Pregliasco, a co-founder of a polling firm. “But you don’t see the effects of this when it comes to vote.”

Pregliasco mentioned recent regional votes in the central area where Meloni’s coalition won a another term. The same outcome is anticipated in elections in Veneto and Calabria.

He said there was “a real risk of the [Gaza] movement having an overly strong of a partisan association, which would alienate individuals who are horrified with the war but who are not pro-Palestinian militants”.

Expert Insights

A political scientist at New York’s Columbia University and the University of Bologna, said the explanation why the effects of the protests were not being seen in voting was because barely half of Italian voters participate in elections.

“And the ones who vote, support conservative parties,” she added, explaining that Meloni could easily leverage the protests to weaken rivals.

She said any grassroots activism of the public was vulnerable to being infiltrated by opposing groups, and suggested that this had been occurring in order to “criminalise and repress” the solidarity campaign.

Medical Professionals Join

Susanna Romitelli in Rome, has joined multiple demonstrations in the Italian capital and marched in the rally near Piazza Vittorio on the strike day.

“Recently, there was an event held in Italy’s hospitals during which we remembered the many healthcare workers who died in the conflict zone while trying to help people,” she said. “It was a deeply emotional occasion and we will continue to mobilise. You may not observe it in election surveys yet, but I believe this administration is starting to be deeply concerned of the people.”