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‘Israel’ barred from tourism fair in Italy over war on Gaza

Al Mayadeen | September 21, 2025

“Israel” has been reportedly excluded from a tourism fair in Italy, a decision reported following a public appeal from the mayor of Rimini on Thursday, who urged the event’s organizers to cancel “Israel’s” participation in the TTG Travel Experience over the war on Gaza.

In a joint statement posted on Facebook, Mayor Jamil Sadegholvaad and the head of the Emilia-Romagna region, Michele De Pascal,e argued that an Israeli presence would represent “inequality”, urging the event’s organizers, the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), to reconsider the inclusion of the “Israel” stand.

“We really don’t think that today it is ethically and morally acceptable to propose as holiday destinations places of war, terror and death,” the pair stated.

This comes as part of a broader international boycott movement against “Israel”, in response to its crimes and brutal war on Gaza, which has claimed the lives of more than 65,000 people since October 7th with many uncounted victims still buried under the rubble.

‘Israel’ faces international boycotts worldwide and sector-wide

A coalition of advocacy organizations and fan groups launched a billboard in New York’s Times Square on September 17, kicking off their #GameOverIsrael campaign with a call for European soccer federations to boycott “Israel” in the months leading up to the World Cup.

Campaigners are urging soccer federations across multiple European nations, including Belgium, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Scotland, and Spain, to institute a comprehensive boycott of the Israeli national team and to prohibit Israeli players from participating in their domestic competitions, a direct response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

In a significant escalation of the cultural boycott against “Israel”, Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE has officially announced it will boycott the Eurovision 2026 Song Contest if “Israel” is allowed to take part, a move that makes Spain the first of the competition’s major contributors to commit to such a stance. This position has been further supported by signals from Ireland and Slovenia that they would also withdraw from the contest if the Israeli occupation is allowed to participate.

The boycott has also affected academia, with the head of the Scientific Council at “Israel’s” Weizmann Institute, Nir Davidzon, revealing that the research center suffered heavy destruction during Iran’s recent retaliation and is now facing mounting isolation from the international academic community.

In an interview for Israeli Channel 12 on September 13, Nir Davidzon stated that the Weizmann Institute, long considered one of “Israel’s” most internationally connected scientific institutions, is now being increasingly boycotted by universities and research centers abroad.

“Everything that was built over decades is collapsing because of the war in Gaza,” he said. “Even good friends are telling us they can no longer work with us.”

Hundreds of actors, directors, and film workers have pledged to refuse any collaboration with Israeli cultural institutions, which they accuse of being complicit in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.

This initiative has drawn support from over 1,200 signatories, including acclaimed directors like Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Asif Kapadia, Boots Riley, and Joshua Oppenheimer. Prominent actors such as Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Ayo Edebiri, Riz Ahmed, Josh O’Connor, Cynthia Nixon, Julie Christie, Ilana Glazer, Rebecca Hall, Aimee Lou Wood, and Debra Winger also signed the pledge.

September 21, 2025 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , | Leave a comment

Italian port blocks explosive shipments bound for Israel

The Cradle | September 19, 2025

Authorities at the Italian port of Ravenna refused on 18 September to load two containers filled with explosives bound for Israel, following a request from local officials.

Ravenna’s mayor, Alessandro Barattoni, confirming the intervention in a statement, said, “Thanks to courageous dockers, we were informed last night of the scheduled arrival today of two containers to the Ravenna port.”

The municipality explained that the port is jointly owned by Ravenna, the provincial authorities, and the Emilia-Romagna regional government, which enabled them to block the shipment.

Regional leaders of the Emilia-Romagna government, a major region in northern Italy, formally cut ties with the Israeli government in June, following the earlier decision by the southern coastal region of Puglia.

“You must choose a side, and Emilia-Romagna and Ravenna know perfectly which,” the leaders said in a statement, “the one of innocent victims and hostages, and not the one of criminal governments and terrorist organisations.”

Italian media reports that port workers and unions are preparing further protests, including planned blockades at Genoa and Livorno in the country’s northwestern coasts, reflecting a growing wave of opposition throughout Italy.

On 1 September, in Genoa, dockworkers warned they will escalate further if Israel moves against the Global Sumud Flotilla, which left Barcelona on Sunday carrying humanitarian supplies.

Speaking at a rally on the docks, a representative of the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB), which is an Italian trade union, said that any loss of communication with the flotilla would trigger an immediate boycott of Israel-bound shipments.

“From this region 13 to 14,000 containers leave every year for Israel, not a single nail will leave anymore,” the dockworker said in a video circulated widely in Italian media.

He added that “if we lose contact with our boats, with our comrades, even for just 20 minutes, we will shut down all of Europe.”

Elsewhere in Europe, dockers in France, Sweden, and Greece have carried out similar boycotts.

In early June, workers at the port of Marseille refused to load containers of military equipment for Haifa, stating they would not “take part in the genocide being carried out by the Israeli government” or become “complicit in these massacres.”

September 19, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , | Leave a comment

Iran clarifies stance after joint Doha statement, rejects ‘two-state’ solution to Palestinian issue

Press TV – September 16, 2025

Iran has clarified its stance on a joint statement from a Doha summit held in the wake of the Israeli regime’s assault on Qatar, rejecting the “two-state” solution concerning the Palestinian issue and and US’s self-proclaimed “peace” efforts.

The Foreign Ministry issued the remarks on Tuesday, distancing the Islamic Republic from references made in the statement to the so-called “two-state solution,” reiterating support for Palestinians’ right to resistance, and ruling out any prospect of recognition of the regime.

It also dismissed the existence of any genuine intention on the part of Washington to resolve the situation created by the regime’s barbarity throughout the West Asia region, including across the occupied Palestinian territories.

‘Two-state solution’ a non-starter

Reasserting the Islamic Republic’s continued unwavering support for the Palestinian cause of liberation from Israeli occupation and aggression, the ministry said the country would under no circumstances abandon its staunch belief that Palestinians were absolutely entitled to exercise their inherent right to self-determination.

Therefore, Tehran keeps holding fast to its principled position that the only “true and sustainable” solution to the Palestinian issue rests in the creation of a “unified democratic government” in the occupied territories.

Such a government should receive its mandate from the outcome of a referendum partaken by all Palestinians inside the territories as well as the Palestinian diaspora, and, hence, end up representing “all Palestinians,” the ministry said.

Therefore, it said, Tehran utterly dismisses the “two-state solution,” supported by the United States and its allies, and the concepts proposed as part of such “solution,” including those mentioned in the Doha statement.

It named one of those concepts as “establishment of the State of Palestine along the lines of June 4, 1967,” which ignores the vast Palestinian territories that the regime had already occupied in 1948 and continues to occupy.

Also, the Islamic Republic spurns the idea that Palestinians’ future capital should be confined to just the eastern part of the holy occupied city of al-Quds, the ministry added.

“The so-called ‘two-state’ solution would not resolve the Palestinian issue,” it specified.

‘Israeli barbarity necessitates resistance’

Iran, meanwhile, continues to uphold Palestinians’ entitlement to employ “whatever necessary vehicle” towards realizing their inalienable right to self-determination and ridding themselves of foreign colonialism, the ministry stated.

Those rights that are enjoyed by “any peaceable nation” include the right to resist, it noted, adding, “Given the barbarity exercised by the occupying regime’s forces, nothing should serve to restrict this right.”

“It is also our shared duty under international law to support this aspiration,” it said, and also repeated Tehran’s categorical rejection of any potential recognition of the regime.

‘US no ‘peace’ partner’

Finally, the ministry underlined that the policies and actions of the United States have contributed to the continuation and backing of the Israeli regime’s aggression against the Palestinian people, rather than subduing it.

“In light of this reality, the Islamic Republic holds that the United States cannot be recognized or regarded as a credible or impartial party in advancing a just and lasting peace in this conflict.”

“We request the summit’s secretariat to include the Iranian delegation’s reservations in its final report.”

The emergency Arab-Islamic summit was held in the Qatari capital on Monday to address the regime’s recent deadly attacks on the city, which targeted the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas’ leadership, among Tel Aviv’s other atrocities throughout the West Asia region.

September 16, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scottish lawmaker demands European sporting bodies ban Israel

MEMO | September 11, 2025

A Scottish lawmaker tabled a motion at parliament Thursday condemning Israel’s membership in European sporting associations, urging organizations to revoke its participation, Anadolu reports.

The motion, lodged at Holyrood by James Dornan, said Israel should not be permitted to compete under European banners as it is geographically situated in the Asian continent, not Europe.

It cited reported views that Israeli state policy is one of genocide against the people of Gaza. The motion views “the relentless and barbaric implementation of this policy are grounds for the rescinding of Israel’s membership from European sporting associations.”

Dornan’s motion urged European bodies such as the European football governing body (UEFA), the Federation of International Basketball Association Europe, the European Handball Association and the European Athletic Association to dispel Israel’s membership forthwith.

Last month, Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories, demanded UEFA expel Israel from competitions for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

It was after UEFA’s farewell to former Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid, whom it called the “Palestinian Pele.”

The Israeli army has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza, killing at least 64,700 Palestinians since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

September 11, 2025 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , | Leave a comment

Mass arrests as ‘Block Everything’ movement shuts down France

Al Mayadeen | September 10, 2025

At least 83 people have been arrested across France as the “Block Everything” movement launched its first wave of nationwide protests on Wednesday, September 10, in opposition to austerity measures and government budget proposals.

According to police reports cited by BFM TV, 75 individuals were detained in Paris, while another eight were arrested in cities across the country.

The movement, which originated as a grassroots campaign online, is aimed at halting daily life in France in protest of the national budget plan proposed by outgoing Prime Minister Francois Bayrou.

More than 1,000 [?] people joined protests across France, with over 30 separate gatherings reported in cities including Marseille and Lyon, where protesters overturned trash bins and blocked major roads.

Several high schools in Paris were also shut down by student demonstrations.

Organizers expect over 100,000 people to participate in the protest actions throughout the day, marking a significant escalation in public resistance to the government’s proposed austerity measures.

The “Block Everything” movement was initiated by a small online group called Les Essentiels, which declared, “On September 10, we stop everything, not to escape, to say no.” The movement has since gained backing from the leftist France Unbowed (LFI) party.

Political crisis deepens as Macron names new prime minister

The protests come amid growing political instability. On Monday, Bayrou lost a vote of confidence in the National Assembly, following opposition to his 2026 budget framework aimed at cutting €44 billion in public spending. France’s public debt currently stands at 113% of GDP, one of the highest in the European Union.

In response to the crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as the new prime minister on Tuesday. Lecornu has been tasked with consulting political parties before forming a new government.

Budget-related political infighting has become a persistent issue in French politics. Last year, the failure to pass the 2025 budget led to the collapse of Michel Barnier’s government after a no-confidence motion united both far-left and far-right parties.

In parallel with the grassroots movement, France’s major trade unions have announced a national day of mobilization on September 18, signaling a broader, more coordinated wave of resistance to the government’s economic policies.

As tensions mount, the coming weeks are expected to test both the resilience of the protest movement and the ability of the Macron administration to restore political and economic stability.

September 10, 2025 Posted by | Economics, Solidarity and Activism | , | Leave a comment

Spanish PM reveals 9 measures to halt genocide in Gaza

Al Mayadeen | September 8, 2025

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced nine new measures aimed at stopping the “genocide in Gaza,” stating, in a televised address, “What Israel is doing is not defending itself, it is exterminating a defenseless population.”

He said that although Spain has de facto been applying an export ban on weapons to “Israel” since 2023, the government will now urgently legislate a “permanent” ban, a measure that will be joined by prohibiting ships transporting fuel to Israeli forces from using Spanish ports and banning aircraft carrying defense material from Spanish airspace.

The Spanish Premier added that individuals “directly involved in the genocide, violating human rights and war crimes in Gaza” will be prohibited from entering Spain.

Other measures include banning imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, limiting Spanish consular services to Spanish citizens living in the occupied territories to the bare minimum, and increasing Spain’s presence in Rafah with additional troops and new joint projects with the Palestinian Authority to provide food and medicine.

Spain will also increase its contribution to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) by €10 million ($11.7 million) and commit €150 million in additional humanitarian aid for Gaza in 2026.

“We know these measures will not be enough to put an end to the war crimes, but we hope they serve to apply pressure to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people,” Sanchez stated, adding that “Spain alone cannot stop the war, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try.”

September 8, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism | , , , , | Leave a comment

UK arrests nearly 900 over support for Palestine Action activist group

Al Mayadeen | September 7, 2025

Nearly 900 people were arrested in the United Kingdom over the weekend during a protest in London in support of the banned pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Authorities confirmed that 857 individuals were arrested under the Terrorism Act of 2000 for supporting a proscribed organization, with another 33 detained for separate offences, including alleged assaults on police officers.

Solidarity with Gaza targeted in crackdown

The protest, described by organizers as an expression of solidarity with Gaza, was held outside the UK Parliament and drew around 1,500 participants.

Many demonstrators carried signs condemning “Israel’s” aggression and genocide in Gaza and expressing support for Palestine.

This comes as “Israel” intensified its bombardment of Gaza and launched new strikes with the stated aim of seizing Gaza City to defeat the Palestinian resistance.

Critics have accused the UK government of using counterterrorism laws to suppress peaceful activism.

The United Nations and other human rights groups have condemned the July decision to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, citing threats to civil liberties and free speech.

Police claim violence; organizers insist protest was peaceful

Of the 33 non-terrorism-related arrests, 17 were allegedly for assaults on officers. The police claimed their officers faced “intolerable” abuse. However, organizers from Defend Our Juries (DOJ), who coordinated the “Lift the Ban” rally, described it as “the picture of peaceful protest.”

Reports noted that many of those arrested were older individuals, some holding signs like “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

If convicted, the majority face up to six months in prison, while organizers could face sentences of up to 14 years.

Public figures, UN slam ban as legal overreach

The ban on Palestine Action was pushed by former interior minister Yvette Cooper, who accused the group of engaging in “aggressive and intimidatory attacks” against public and private institutions.

She also claimed that court-imposed reporting restrictions have limited public understanding of the group’s actions.

Nonetheless, public support for Palestine Action has grown since the group’s proscription, with many viewing the UK’s actions as an attempt to silence those who speak out against the war on Gaza and stand in solidarity with Palestine.

September 7, 2025 Posted by | Civil Liberties, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Full Spectrum Dominance, Solidarity and Activism | , , , , | Leave a comment

Elbit Systems shuts down UK site targeted by Palestine Action

Al Mayadeen | September 6, 2025

Elbit Systems UK’s arms factory in Bristol has gone quiet after years of determined resistance by Palestine Action, according to The Guardian, marking what campaigners see as a major victory against “Israel’s” largest weapons producer.

The Aztec West facility, repeatedly targeted by direct actions, now sits deserted save for a lone security guard at the gate. Although Elbit had a lease lasting until 2029, the company has offered no explanation for the site’s status.

Factory Silence

Palestine Action staged dozens of disruptive actions against the site, ranging from rooftop occupations and blockades to smashing windows and covering the premises in red paint to symbolize Palestinian blood. The latest protest, on July 1, came just days before the UK government banned the group under the Terrorism Act.

Campaigners argue that their actions have exacted a tangible toll. Elbit Systems UK swung from a £3.8 million profit in 2023 to a £4.7 million loss last year, with rising security costs and repeated shutdowns cited as key factors.

“This closure is extremely significant,” arms trade expert Andrew Feinstein told The Guardian. “We need to remind ourselves that Elbit (Systems) is one of the two most important Israeli arms firms, along with IAI, that is it is obviously a key component of Israel’s military industrial complex.”

Elbit Retreat

The closure in Bristol fits a broader pattern of Elbit’s retrenchment in Britain. In Oldham, an 18-month wave of roof occupations and blockades led to the sale of Ferranti P&C in 2022. In Tamworth, the company’s Elite KL subsidiary, targeted repeatedly by Palestine Action, was sold in 2024 after profits collapsed; its new owners, rebranding as Calatherm, pledged to scrap all defense contracts with Elbit.

Long-running campaigns at Shenstone in Staffordshire and at Instro Precision in Kent have also seen repeated shutdowns, rooftop occupations, and trials of activists, showing the breadth of pressure across Elbit’s UK operations.

Still, the company has not disappeared from Britain, The Guardian noted. Its Filton site in Bristol remains active, and 24 activists face trial for actions carried out there, including charges of criminal damage and aggravated burglary. Meanwhile, Elbit is reportedly close to securing a £2 billion Ministry of Defence contract as a “strategic partner”, a deal that former Labour minister Peter Hain has urged the government to block, citing “the devastation unfolding in Gaza.”

Defiant Resistance

Palestine Action has vowed to continue targeting Elbit and its partners. Though proscribed in July, the group has secured permission for a judicial review of the government’s decision in November. The Home Secretary is set to appeal that ruling later this month.

For campaigners, the deserted Aztec West site stands as proof that sustained action can shake even the most entrenched corporations. It also sends a message: as long as companies profit from “Israel’s” assault on Gaza, they will face resistance on British soil.

September 6, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism | , , , | Leave a comment

Scotland’s parliament votes for boycott of Israel amid Gaza genocide

Press TV – September 5, 2025

Scotland’s Parliament has voted to impose an immediate and comprehensive boycott on Israel and companies connected to its genocide in Gaza.

The decision, which highlights Scotland’s solidarity with the Palestinian people, came on Thursday in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory.

The motion to sanction Israel and affiliated entities was spearheaded by the Scottish Greens, who allege that the Israeli military actions in Gaza constitute genocide. Reports indicate that at least 64,231 Palestinians have died due to the genocide, and almost the entire population of Gaza has been displaced.

The amendment passed with 62 votes in favor and 31 against, calling on the Scottish and UK governments to implement a series of boycotts, divestment strategies, and sanctions aimed directly at Israel and companies deemed complicit in its genocide.

Support for the motion came from the Scottish Greens and the Scottish National Party (SNP), alongside a proposal introduced by External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson that acknowledged the recognition of a Palestinian state. However, the Scottish Conservatives opposed the motion, while most Scottish Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs chose to abstain. The Liberal Democrats notably shifted their voting stance to oppose the amendment’s language.

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie, who introduced the motion, expressed hope that this vote could signal a change in the conversation surrounding Israel and encourage other European governments to adopt a stronger response to the humanitarian crisis. “Palestinians are being starved and massacred every day as part of a campaign of collective punishment and ethnic cleansing. It is our duty to act,” he stated in an interview with The National.

Harvie emphasized the importance of holding companies accountable for their involvement in the genocide, asserting, “If a company profits from apartheid and genocide, it should not be allowed to profit here in Scotland. This vote sets a precedent for action that I hope will inspire governments across Europe and beyond.”

First Minister John Swinney highlighted the Scottish government’s commitment to humanitarian support, announcing plans to block public funding for firms supplying weapons to Israel. He also pledged £400,000 toward the Children’s Operating Room to aid the Gaza Hope Field Readiness Centre in Scotland and assist in establishing a rapid-deployment field hospital within Gaza.

Additionally, Scotland plans to provide medical support for 20 children injured in Gaza, expected to arrive with their families in September, and to donate £600,000 to the UN’s humanitarian coordination office in Palestine.

Swinney underscored the urgent need for action, stating, “We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe of historic proportions. The world cannot wait for a final court ruling to take action. A genocide is unfolding, and recognizing this reality carries with it a responsibility to act. The people of Scotland expect nothing less.”

September 5, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , , | Leave a comment

Utrecht University becomes first in West to boycott Israel over Gaza genocide

Press TV – September 3, 2025

The Netherlands’ Utrecht University has become the first Western academic institution to enact a full academic boycott of Israel in response to the regime’s genocide in Gaza, marking a historic step that shatters a long-standing taboo in Western academia.

The decision, confirmed in a statement from Rector Wilco Hazeleger, comes after sustained pressure from “demonstrating students and staff.”

The university has “effectively stopped or suspended all institutional collaborations with Israeli parties and will not start any new collaborations,” establishing a boycott that will remain “until further notice,” the statement said.

In his statement, Hazeleger described the move as a moral necessity. “The situation in the world, and in Gaza in particular, requires us to act with a moral compass. There is great human suffering,” he said.

While emphasizing the academy’s duty to foster open dialogue and research for peace, Hazeleger stated a clear red line had been crossed. “It is also clear when there is genocidal violence and a line has been crossed.”

The move aligns with the goals of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), which considers it the result of strategic, principled work by students and university staff.

The boycott comes amid increasing international condemnation of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and its decades-long occupation of Palestinian lands.

Across the world, academic communities and students have intensified their demands for institutions to divest and boycott all entities complicit in apartheid and war crimes.

Academic institutions have come under significant pressure from professors and students to sever ties with Israeli entities that play direct or indirect roles in normalizing apartheid, research for military purposes, or sustaining the occupation.

Israel launched a genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after Palestinian resistance fighters carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the regime in response to its decades-long campaign of death and destruction against Palestinians.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 63,633 Palestinians have been killed and more than 160,914 injured since the beginning of the war.

September 3, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The SCO Steps in Where UN Has Failed

Sputnik – September 1, 2025

The SCO has condemned Israel and the US for their attack on Iran in June. In a joint statement, they said that such aggressive actions against civilian targets, including nuclear energy infrastructure, which resulted in civilian deaths, constitute a gross violation of the principles and norms of international law and infringe on Iran’s sovereignty.

The SCO’s condemnation of Israeli and US strikes on Iran marks a turning point, Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Tehran University professor and political analyst, told Sputnik. “This is what we should have seen from the United Nations. Instead, the SCO and BRICS are emerging as the real alternative.”

Key takeaways:

  • The West’s wars, sanctions, and support for apartheid regimes are pushing nations together and marginalizing the very institutions it built after WWII
  • Iran’s membership in the SCO shows its people are not isolated—they have the backing of countries representing the global majority
  • Asia’s rise is unstoppable: new trade corridors, Belt & Road, and collective security are shielding nations from Western disruption
  • SCO is shifting into a real force: security, economic integration, and independence from Western financial institutions

Marandi: “Thanks to the West’s own foolish behavior, the SCO is becoming a central pillar of peace, security, and prosperity across Asia—and beyond.”

September 1, 2025 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism | , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Global Sumud Flotilla sets sail from Barcelona to break the Gaza siege

Palestinian Information Center – August 31, 2025

BARCELONA – The “Global Sumud (Resilience) Flotilla” set sail from the Spanish city of Barcelona on Sunday in a new humanitarian solidarity initiative aimed at breaking the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip for years, which has intensified since last March.

The flotilla groups several international and humanitarian organizations, most notably the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global Gaza Movement, the Convoy of Resilience, and Malaysia’s Nusantara Resilience Organization.

Participants finalized preparations to sail with dozens of ships loaded with humanitarian aid, joined by activists from 44 countries, along with European parliamentarians and public figures, including former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau and Portuguese left-wing MP Mariana Mortágua.

The flotilla’s steering committee said that this step aims to open a safe humanitarian corridor to the besieged enclave and to exert international pressure to stop the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.

It confirmed that parallel actions will be launched from Tunisia and other countries on September 4, coinciding with large-scale demonstrations in several countries around the world in support of the flotilla and the demand to end the blockade.

This initiative builds on the efforts of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition since 2010, when the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara came under a deadly attack by Israeli forces while attempting to break the naval blockade on Gaza.

Since then, attempts to break the siege have continued, including the ships al-Dhamir (Conscience), Madleen, and Handala earlier this year, all of which were attacked and seized by Israeli forces.

Since March 2, Israel has continued to close all crossings leading into the Gaza Strip, preventing the entry of humanitarian aid, causing unprecedented levels of famine, according to UN agencies.

Although Israeli authorities have allowed limited quantities of aid to enter in recent weeks, they fall far short of minimum needs, while many aid trucks are looted by armed gangs operating under Israeli protection, according to governmental and human rights sources.

The United Nations recently declared famine officially in Gaza City, warning that it could spread to the central and southern parts of the Strip by September if the international community fails to take concrete action to contain the disaster and protect civilians.

August 31, 2025 Posted by | Solidarity and Activism | , | Leave a comment