For Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and within the 1948 borders, together with millions across the world, the Global Sumud (Steadfastness) Flotilla making its way towards Gaza has been a spark of hope in the unbearable darkness imposed by the occupation and its imperialist backers.
The flotilla’s attempt to break the inhuman siege of Gaza and open a humanitarian corridor to provide aid – food, medicaments, baby formula and so on – needed to help overcome the famine imposed by the occupation regime is above all a challenge for each and every person to follow.
A challenge that needs to be met by mobilising the invincible power that the billions of working class people possess, to end the genocide and the whole murderous capitalist system of which it is the most honest face.
Immediate reactions
Almost as quickly as the news that the Israel Occupation Force was violently (and illegally) intercepting the first boats of the Flotilla and kidnapping the heroic people attempting to express their solidarity with the Palestinians, angry protests erupted across the world.
Train stations were occupied, thousands marched on the port of Genoa. In Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Colombia, Istanbul, Tunis, Malaysia (see main photo) and many European capitals demonstrators gathered in city centres. A short video of several protests can be viewed here. Italian trade unions called a general strike, and now too, so have trade unions in the Spanish State.
In Morocco the anger coincided with the developing GenZ protests. For five days and nights young people have been protesting against government corruption, and in particular against the huge amount of money used to build new football stadiums in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations. In response to the chants “The stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals”, the police have replied, killing two and arresting hundreds.
Global Sumud Flotilla
Boats have been setting off since late August from the Spanish State, Italy, Tunisia and elsewhere eventually merging to form a huge convoy of over 40 vessels carrying 497 people from 46 countries. Those on board included well known figures such as Greta Thunberg as well as MPs from left parties, humanitarian workers, Palestine activists, artists, doctors, journalists and others. Many more, too many to name, have expressed their support including Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories. 28,000 people applied to join the Flotilla.
The size of the Flotilla has been an important aspect of this mission. Earlier attempts (Conscience, Madleen, Handala) were smaller, and often single boats which could not break through the blockade. This was the biggest ever coordinated attempt to break the illegal siege of Gaza and open a humanitarian corridor. Some cynics have used every opportunity to suggest the mission is futile, that it is “performative”. But for Palestinians and many other activists it was a real attempt at breaking the siege, a more serious action than previous flotillas.
The flotilla was due to reach the shore of Gaza on the morning of 2 October.
Attacks unfold
Crossing the Mediterranean was already full of danger. The Flotilla had to endure a major storm, but as it progressed, it was disrupted by Israeli forces, using drones and other means of harassment. As it sailed closer to Gaza, once night had set in, ships of the Israeli navy began to attack the boats using drones, rubber bullets, and water cannons. One by one they were boarded. Hundreds have been arrested, and transferred to Israel from where, the government says, they will be deported. But now they are all being transferred to Israel’s most notorious torture prison, the Ketziot prison, located in the Negev Desert,
On top of the genocide and other crimes against humanity already being committed by the Israeli regime, they are now also guilty of piracy and kidnapping – the attacks on the flotilla were in internationalwaters. Even if they had been in Israeli waters, international law requires safe passage for any humanitarian mission.
International complicity
It is difficult to believe that these attacks were not discussed during Netanyahu’s visit to the White House. Certainly, no attempt has been made to prevent Netanyahu, despite the Trump/Netanyahu ‘peace’ plan. On the contrary it is clear that Trump and imperialism gave a green light to this intensification of the genocide. As well as attacking the Flotilla on that night, the brutal collective punishment of Palestinians continued with an increased intensity of bombs raining down on Gaza city.
It is also clear there was international coordination to allow the IOF to attack the flotilla. Far-right Italian PM Giorgia Meloni who, under mass pressure, had dispatched a navy frigate to sail with the Flotilla withdrew it just hours before the attacks, claiming that it was a provocation aimed at “blowing up the ceasefire agreement”. Italy’s Foreign Minister admitted on Italian TV that he had discussed the boarding in advance with his Israeli counterpart. Indeed many activists believe the frigate was never intended to help the Flotilla, but to cut across the mass anger in Italy, and eventually sabotage its mission.
Trump/Netanyahu plan
Palestinians will naturally breathe a sigh of relief at any genuine plan that could stop the incessant rain of hellfire falling on their homes, and allow them to return to start rebuilding their lives and grieving for their losses. But the latest Trump/Netanyahu proposal to “end the war”, drawn up without any input from Palestinians themselves is not such a plan.
Presented in the White House at a joint Trump/Netanyahu press conference it was full of bombastic rhetoric about “miracle cities” and “beautiful days”, which no-one can genuinely believe. In reality the plan is nothing more than a colonial ultimatum: either the Palestinians accept total surrender or face renewed annihilation at the hands of Israel with full US backing.
Even the optics of the plan are imperialist, which imposes a regime under the control of Trump and a colonial Viceroy, former British PM and war criminal Tony Blair, a figurehead of hated British imperialism, which colonised Palestine and later handed it over to the zionist settler-colonialist project.
The promises to provide aid, organise reconstruction, and release prisoners have all been weaponised by the US and Israel to enforce the subordination of Palestinians to the Zionist state, the US, and the neighboring Arab dictatorships, who all fear most of all any independent and revolutionary movement of the Palestinian masses.
Arab regimes complicit
The Arab dictatorships and Turkey, as well as those western countries that have so recently declared their recognition of “a Palestinian state” are now fervently supporting the Trump/Netanyahu plan which in the words of Netanyahu means that “There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River”.
Diplomats from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey are piling the pressure onto Hamas to agree to the plan. Although some parts of Hamas support the plan provided that Trump guarantees its implementation, others are demanding changes to remove the call for disarmament and the expulsion of Hamas members.
The diplomats argue this is the best possible agreement for Palestine in the current situation. Although there are currently suggestions that Hamas will eventually reject the deal, it will do so understanding that this will be used to justify renewed bombardment, starvation and mass expulsions – all while deflecting the blame onto the victims for their intransigence.
Radicalisation and politicisation
Trump and Netanyahu’s colonial project has already fuelled the anger of those supporting the Palestinian struggle across the world. This attack on the Flotilla will deepen the anger.
As Ruth Coppinger Socialist Party TD said in the Irish parliament this week – Gaza has become the most politicizing issue of this generation, like Vietnam was for previous generations. Indeed over the past two years, solidarity actions have developed and escalated – from university campuses to the blocking of ships, and now calls for general and international strikes and boycotts.
This was clear in the massive pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin last weekend. Finally, Die Linke supported and mobilized for it. While this was welcomed by Palestinian organizers and participants in the demonstration, the main emphasis was anger and disappointment that Die Linke has waited far too long to recognise the genocide and support and build resistance against it. It was made clear that people will not judge them by their presence and words at this one demonstration, but by their actions in the following days and weeks and expect of Die Linke to step up now in a real way against the genocide, for Palestinian liberation and against any criminalization and repression of the Palestine solidarity movement in Germany. In many places, those active in the solidarity movement have moved far to the left of the left parties and adopted more radical methods of struggle.
As attacks on Flotilla start, protests spread
The largest delegation on the Flotilla was Turkish with 56 activists. That is not surprising given the long-term support by the Turkish working class for the Palestinian cause, and also because of the notorious Mavi Marmara incident, when Israeli forces attacked the 2010 flotilla killing ten of its participants. With the news that at least 37 Turkish participants had been arrested, even the Erdogan government was forced to complain that: “the fascist and militarist policies pursued by the genocidal Netanyahu government — which has condemned Gaza to famine — are not limited to Palestinians”. More importantly, overnight, protests were organised outside the US and Israeli embassies in Istanbul and in several other cities across the country with people waving Palestinian flags and chanting “end the genocide”.
A high level of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle has been seen in Tunisia. As the flotilla set off from the country demonstrations were held, and as the reports of the attack appeared, immediately Tunisians came out onto the streets in protest. A video can be seen here.
Across South America, in different time zones, the centre of Buenos Aires saw protesters gathering to protest the attack on the flotilla. In Brazil, Colombia and Mexico too demonstrations took place.
The Greek, Irish, Malaysian, British and South African governments sent mealy-mouthed diplomatic protests to Israel, the latter even declaring it was not in “confrontation with Israel”.
These examples of diplomatic inaction are in sharp contrast to the decision by Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro to immediately expel Israeli diplomats from the country, and cancel Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel.
Also inspiring has been the explosion of protests across Europe within hours of the attack. Far in advance is the Italian working class. As the evening drew on reports came in from across Italy of protests taking place, often combining chants calling for a free Palestine with calls for Meloni to resign. A unifying call to “Block everything” was clearly taken from last week’s anti-Macron protests in France, while on the following day’s strike demonstrations against austerity in Paris youth were carrying banners “From Gaza to Paris – long live resistance to imperialism”. Not only do these examples demonstrate the power of internationalism, but also how today consciousness is growing of how all different forms of oppression are interlinked within the capitalist system.
Genoa shows the way
Genoans march with banner “Block everything” after Flotilla attacked
At the forefront of the struggle again are the workers and youth of Genoa, and their union the Unione Sindicale di Base (USB). In previous days they had already organised the blacking of ships carrying goods to Israel in the Genoa, Livorno, Ravenna, Taranto and Trieste ports. They warned they would organise a massive national strike if the Flotilla was attacked, and true to their word within hours thousands had marched on the Genoa docks with the call for a national and possibly general strike. As they say in their call to strike: “We have chosen our side: resistance, justice, and freedom for the people of Palestine.”
The very fact that even before the attack on the Flotilla the Italian government had been forced to make concessions to the movement indicates the power of mass actions. They need to be stepped up to force governments to change their position and act to stop the genocide.
If the situation in Gaza has been a massive radicalising factor for the working class and youth in many countries, the progress and attack on the Flotilla will mark a turning point for the international solidarity movement.
Even though the likelihood of the courageous attempt to break the blockade succeeding was not high, it has garnered massive international attention, and inspired a new, and more determined wave in international solidarity. From that point of view it has already been a great success.
The Flotilla and the solidarity movement it inspired has further exposed the huge gap between the consciousness of the working class across the world, that instinctively sides with those enduring such suffering at the hands of imperialism, and governments who serve the interests of the ruling elite. This was expressed clearly by participants in the Flotilla, who pointed out that they, ordinary people, had been forced to try and forge a humanitarian corridor to Gaza, because governments had refused to do it.
The liberation of the Palestinians, the creation of a Palestinian state will not be achieved by negotiations between the imperialist powers, and imposed by military might, or under the patronage of the Arab regimes, which at every stage have sabotaged the creation of a Palestinian state.
Only through the political self-organisation of the Palestinian working class and youth acting together with the organised working class of the Middle East and North Africa can imperialism and the capitalist regimes, along with those who have misled the Palestinian struggle throughout its history, be challenged and a genuine revolutionary movement for the liberation of Palestine succeed.
This is why international solidarity is critically important, and needs to be stepped up. The imperialist-Zionist war machine with its genocide needs to be stopped so that the Palestinians themselves are able to enact their own liberation. Their victory would be a victory for the working class and oppressed all over the world.
The inspiring reaction across the world to the attacks of the Flotilla, and the tremendous initiatives by the unions in Italy and Spain should be used to spread the need for strikes and blockades everywhere. The appeals by the Italian dockers to spread the blockade across Europe should be taken up. As in France and Italy,demonstrations and strikes should be stepped up to force governments to cancel arms deals, break trade and diplomatic links, linked to bringing down those governments that are complicit in the genocide.
Turn to the docks and workplaces
But in many parts of the world unions fail, or even refuse to organise such activities. Assemblies of solidarity activists are needed to map out a strategy for enforcing boycotts of Israel, with protests outside companies producing anything destined for the Israeli war machine, and the organisation of workplace meetings at docks and arms manufacturers with Palestinian activists and Italian trade unionists invited to explain why action is needed.
The movement in solidarity with Palestine has indeed been one of the most far-reaching acts of global resistance for many years, and has the potential to become even more important. It is leading many to the conclusion that it is the system, capitalism and imperialism that is the root cause of many of our problems. Its effects can be long-lasting if indeed it can stop the Israeli war-machine, and even more so if it can root itself in consistent and thoroughgoing opposition to all forms of oppression and exploitation and the need for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism, imperialism and colonialism.