Brussels – The day after Israel boarded 40 boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla, European politicians expected a reaction that has yet to arrive. Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa dodge the issue live; there was silence even from the head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas. All the while, in major European cities, thousands of people have been protesting since last night, including in Brussels, where a march will attempt to approach the buildings of EU institutions this afternoon.
The situation is still very fluid. At present, three boats of the Flotilla are still moving towards Gaza. The Fair Lady, the Marinette, and the Mikeno have now crossed the 12 nautical miles from the coast that marks the area of Palestinian territorial waters. Israeli authorities will transfer all the others, about 400 activists from over 40 countries around the world, to the port of Ashdod, before being expelled from the country, which is likely to take place between Monday and Tuesday of next week. According to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the activists will return to airports in London and Madrid.
The boarding started just as the presidents of the Commission and the European Council were holding a press conference in Copenhagen on the sidelines of the informal summit of EU heads of state and government. Both said they did not have enough information to comment on the incident. During the daily press briefing today, a spokeswoman for the EU executive stated that “international humanitarian law must be upheld as well as the international law of the sea”, adding that Brussels has already condemned “any attack against the Flotilla, with drones or any seizure.” According to spokeswoman Eva Hrncirova, the crew “has the right” to fulfil its mission, which has “basically the same goal as we have: to provide sufficient aid to Gaza as soon as possible to stop the suffering of the people.”
The latter is only half true, since the declared objectives of the Flotilla, even more than delivering a limited amount of aid to the population of Gaza, include the end of the maritime blockade imposed by Israel on the Strip and the establishment of a permanent humanitarian corridor. Requests that Brussels has never made.
“We have tried to do with our bodies what our institutions and governments have not done so far: create a permanent humanitarian corridor and oppose the genocide of the Palestinian people,” claimed in a video Benedetta Scuderi, an AVS MEP on board the Morgana, also intercepted by Israel. “Now let’s take to the streets again: block everything, now and always Free Palestine,” she added.
The call to take to the streets, relayed on the Flotilla’s channels on several occasions and by all activists – 497 people from 46 countries around the world – was immediately taken up. In Italy, protests were already underway in Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, Bologna, and Florence last night. Trade unions have called for a general strike for tomorrow (October 3). Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, however, did not back down, attacking those who “want the long weekend and not peace,” stating that “all this does not bring any benefit to the people of Palestine” and, on the other hand, “it will bring many inconveniences to the Italian people.” Last night, Tajani, in a live connection on Rai 1, stated—with some difficulty—that ‘what international law says is important, but only up to a certain point.”
Demonstrations are also taking place in Berlin, Paris, and several French cities. And in Brussels, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Belgian Foreign Ministry’s headquarters as early as last night. A demonstration has also been called for today, to march to the Rue de la Loi, where the Commission and the European Council have their headquarters.
This morning, in the square in front of the European Parliament, thirty or so MEPs expressed their outrage at the Israeli boarding in international waters. Four MEPs boarded the Flotilla: the Italians Benedetta Scuderi (AVS, from the Green group) and Annalisa Corrado (PD, from the Socialist group), and the French MEPs Rima Hassan and Emma Fourreau from the European Left group. “It is unacceptable that the European Union and its member states continue to allow Israel to act with impunity while it attacks elected representatives and openly perpetrates war crimes,” the Left Group attacked in a statement. The 5 Star Movement (M5S) added: “If they still had any dignity, European institutions should condemn this assault, approve sanctions against the perpetrators and instigators, and demand the immediate release of all kidnapped activists,” it said in a statement.
The leader of the PD delegation, Nicola Zingaretti, recalled that the Flotilla “has no offensive intentions but humanitarian and peaceful ones” and hoped that “all activists will be treated respectfully and in accordance with their dignity.” For the Greens, “the Israeli government must be held responsible.” M5S MEP Gaetano Pedullà announced that the 5 Star Movement delegation will ask an urgent question to the European Commission at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg next week. “Indignation is not enough; we will ask the Commission what its intentions are in the face of this incredible violation of international law,” he said.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
