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A piercing sound of blaring horns and dockworkers shouting “we don’t want you” greeted an Israeli-owned cargo vessel when it docked in Livorno this week.

For 48 hours, the striking dockworkers refused to back down, declining to handle the vessel’s freight in a display of strong support for the people of Gaza and the international aid convoy attempting to deliver aid to the besieged territory. The action was successful and the ship, headed to the United States and Canada, left the port.

Countrywide Port Protests Spread

From northern ports in the northern region, to Salerno and Taranto in the south, in recent weeks dock laborers across Italy have managed in blocking ships suspected to be transporting weapons for Israel, as resistance to the country’s war in Gaza grows stronger.

The workers’ resolve to block weapons and stifle trade has been a crucial component of the pro-Palestinian uprising in Italy as pressure increases on Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government to take a stronger stance against the Israeli government.

“The Israeli military is conducting an systematic destruction of people in the Gaza Strip – by killing them, by starving them,” said a port employee, Luca Simoni. “We cannot remain indifferent. We have historically been a port of welcome, not one of war. We will continue protesting until this war concludes.”

General Strike Adds Pressure

On Friday, many people demonstrated after Italy’s largest trade union called the second general strike in under 14 days, shutting educational institutions, disrupting transport and causing disruption on mass transit and in healthcare. There were also impromptu demonstrations on midweek after military vessels stopped the aid convoy and arrested hundreds of activists, including the well-known activist Greta Thunberg.

The incident in the Tuscan port was the initial instance an Israeli ship transporting commercial goods had been prevented from docking.

Public Opinion and Political Response

Latest polls show significant support among the public – including a considerable portion of voters of Meloni’s ruling coalition – for the establishment of a independent Palestine and in favor of the humanitarian convoy.

Meloni has spoken against Israel’s killing of Palestinians in the past few months, casting it as a “disproportionate” reaction to the militant group’s assault, and has expressed willingness to the country recognizing a sovereign Palestine, albeit with caveats. But she continues trying to walk a fine line between being one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the EU and a friend of Arab nations, all the while following the line of the US president, the former president.

Still, she is aware of voter sentiment, especially with the country in the midst of several regional elections, and has sought to exploit the protests and flotilla to attack her leftwing opponents.

The Prime Minister has characterized the convoy 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 government. She criticized the national walkout, accusing participants of undertaking “a long weekend masquerading as a revolution” while claiming the event was politically orchestrated and offered no real benefit to Gaza.

“The current administration can only remain in power with someone to blame,” stated a union leader, who heads the local branch of Cgil. “There is also a great contradiction between what the Prime Minister claims and what she does,” he added. “She speaks of being a devoted nationalist, a Christian and a parent, but she has not taken any official steps to halt the killing of civilian families.”

Political Stability Despite Protests

But despite the widespread popular feeling reflected by the series of pro-Palestinian protests, Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party continues to lead in surveys, at around 30%, and she has headed an uncharacteristically stable Italian government since taking office in October 2022.

“From one perspective, there is the larger part of public opinion in supporting Palestinians which wants an end to the conflict,” said a political analyst, a founder of YouTrend. “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 secured a another term. The similar result is anticipated in votes in other regions.

Pregliasco 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 violence but who are not pro-Palestinian militants”.

Analyst Perspectives

A political scientist at an American university and the an Italian institution, said the reason why the effects of the protests were not being reflected in voting was because only around fifty percent of the electorate participate in elections.

“And the ones who vote, vote for the right,” she said, noting that Meloni could readily leverage the protests to weaken opponents.

She said every spontaneous movement of the public was vulnerable to being penetrated by opposing groups, and suggested that this had been occurring in order to “discredit and suppress” the Gaza movement.

Healthcare Community Participate

Susanna Romitelli in Rome, has joined multiple pro-Palestine protests in the city 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 honored the many healthcare workers killed in the conflict zone while trying to help people,” she said. “It was a deeply emotional occasion and we will keep organizing. You might not see it in political polls yet, but I think this government is becoming deeply concerned of us.”