The left in the square for Gaza, but the Palestinians in Italy: "They didn't involve us, it's just political marketing"

The center-left takes to the streets today, Saturday June 7, for Gaza in Rome. About 50 thousand people are expected. The procession, organized by Pd - M5S and Alleanza verdi sinistra , will start at 2 pm from Piazza Vittorio to arrive in Piazza San Giovanni. Here, opposition leaders Elly Schlein , Giuseppe Conte , Nicola Fratoianni and Angelo Bonelli will speak from the stage. Yesterday in Milan, instead, the initiative of Azione and Italia Viva was held at the Parenti theater.

The demonstration, which collects the demands of the unitary motion presented in Parliament, including an immediate ceasefire, an end to the Israeli occupation, the suspension of the shipment of weapons to Israel, access to humanitarian aid in Gaza , the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement , will be attended by various organizations, including the Association of Italian Organizations for International Cooperation and Solidarity and the PerugiAssisi Foundation.

There will be no pro-Palestinian protesters. "We believe that a demonstration that does not reflect the narrative and historical demands of the Palestinian people risks becoming an empty gesture, if not even harmful," underlines the Association of Palestinians in Italy.

"Electoral tears over Palestine after years of complicity", urges the Association of Palestinian Students in Italy, criticizing that the demonstration was first of all "organized without involving the Palestinian realities present in Italy in the slightest". And then: "We are not willing to demonstrate alongside those who have always ignored, delegitimized or exploited the struggle of the Palestinian people. The struggle for Palestine is a struggle for liberation, not an opportunity for political marketing".

Schlein, Conte, Fratoianni and Bonelli on stage in San Giovanni

There will be no room for anti-Semitism. Elly Schlein, Giuseppe Conte, Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni reiterated this a few hours before the demonstration for Gaza.

The umpteenth underlining of the perimeter of the initiative by the leaders of Pd, M5S and Avs grappling with a very busy weekend between demonstration, referendum and run-off elections in the municipal elections. The lineup of interventions from the stage in Piazza San Giovanni is closed. Associations, journalists, doctors, historians. In total 11 guests: the Palestinian journalist Abubaker Abed, the historian Anna Foa, the journalists Rula Jebreal and Gad Lerner, Luisa Morgantini of Assopace, Emiliano Manfredonia of Acli, Walter Massa of Arci, Silvia Stilli of the NGO Aoi.

And also Atef Abu Saif , former Palestinian minister of Al-Fatah, and Feroze Sidhwa, a surgeon who operated in Gaza and testified at the UN. There will also be a young Israeli, Iddo Elam, who refused military service and took part in the protests against the Netanyahu government. Closing, in alphabetical order, Angelo Bonelli, Giuseppe Conte, Nicola Fratoianni and Elly Schlein.

"We invite all those who feel the need to say enough to the massacre of civilians in Palestine and to the crimes of the far-right government of Netanyahu. The platform is that of the motion that we presented together", the secretary of the Democratic Party repeated today on television, reiterating that it is a platform "very clear and that leaves no ambiguity, there will be no room for anything else and I find the accusations of anti-Semitism towards our history and our DNA, which has always been in opposition to anti-Semitism, unacceptable".

Conte also rejects any association with anti-Semitism. "Today, if in the face of this genocide, instead of saying 'stop', we continue to say 'but'... After 18 months of looking the other way, no one can allow themselves to say 'but then we risk anti-Semitism'. Netanyahu is fomenting that with his criminal conduct. Don't attribute responsibility for this to us who say stop the genocide". And he adds: "Let's have a demonstration on anti-Semitism, that's fine: I don't have to prove anything". Bonelli adds: "Our platform explicitly condemns Hamas. I find the accusations of anti-Semitism insulting: those who make them are lying, knowing they are lying. Frankly, I am disgusted".

Yesterday in Milan, the initiative of Italia Viva and Azione entitled 'Two peoples, two states, one destiny' took place at the Teatro Parenti, where anti-Semitic writings appeared. An episode that was immediately condemned by the organizers.

Road closures and bus diversions

The Municipality of Rome has implemented a mobility plan with road closures and diversion of scheduled buses. Parking bans have been in place since the early hours of Saturday on Piazza Vittorio, Piazza di Porta San Giovanni, Via Emanuele Filiberto and Viale Carlo Felice. Closures are planned in Piazza di Porta San Giovanni, Via Emanuele Filiberto, both sides, in the stretch between Piazza di Porta San Giovanni and Via Ludovico di Savoia and in Viale Carlo Felice, both sides, in the stretch between Piazza di Porta San Giovanni and Via Conte Rosso.

Further closures may be possible in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, both sides, in the section between Via Carlo Alberto and Via dello Statuto and in the section between Via Leopardi and Via Ugo Foscolo and then between Via Emanuele Filiberto and Via Principe Eugenio. Possible closure also of Via Emanuele Filiberto, both sides, between Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and Via Petrarca. Diversions or limitations for lines 3, 5, 14, 16, 51, 81, 85, 87, 105, 218, 360, 590, 649, 665 and 792.