Italian PM Criticizes Gaza Flotilla Ship Fleet, Labor Union Will Strike Mass Tomorrow

JAKARTA - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the Israeli military's global aid fleet Sumud Flotilla.

Meloni said the mission of activists and mass strikes called for to support them in Italy would not help Palestinians.

Israeli forces intercepted dozens of ships carrying hundreds of activists, including about 40 Italians, as they attempted to break into a maritime blockade in the Gaza Strip.

Italian unions called for a mass strike on Friday as a form of solidarity with the fleet. Protests arose in a number of cities after news broke out on Wednesday night that the ships were stopped.

Speaking on the sidelines of the European Union Summit in Copenhagen, Meloni cynically said the planned strike was just an excuse for union members to enjoy a fun weekend vacation.

"I hope at least for issues as important as they won't call for a public strike on Friday, as the long weekend and revolution are not in line," he said.

"I still believe that all of this does not bring benefits to the Palestinian people," Meloni told reporters.

"On the other hand, I think it will bring a lot of discomfort to the Italian people," he continued, referring to plans for a mass strike and pro-Palestinian protests.

Italian unions accuse the government of not pressuring Israel to stop the war and allow unrestricted access to aid to Gaza.

Speech in front of parliament on Thursday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Roma had supported Israel's right to self-defense following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked the Gaza war.

However, he reiterated Israel's operations in Gaza had surpassed self-defense and had violated humanitarian law.

"Gaza is not Hamas. Palestine is not Hamas," he said.