Non profit
Italy: Breaking the silence on Gaza
On Saturday 17 January the first national Italian demonstration to ask for an end to the war in Gaza will take place. Organisers say: There needs to be a coordinated diplomatic initiative for peace. By Daniele Biella.
di Staff
Saturday January 17 2009, 10 o’ clock. “Everyone to Assisi. To break Italy’s silence on what is happening in Gaza”. This is the main objective of the demonstration organised by the Tavolo della Pace, (peace table) a network of pacifist third sector organisations, who will take to the streets to call for an end to the war that has been going on for two weeks in the Gaza Strip. “The Italian government’s silence, and more in general of all political forces, is deafening. It does nothing but increase our responsibilities in the conflict,” warns Flavio Lotti, who coordinates the Peace Table and will act as spokesman during the demonstration.
“What is missing is a true diplomatic initiative, both in Italy and abroad. Which is why it is time for civil society to speak up and let their voice be heard,” continues Lotti. “So far appeals to Israeli and Palestinian factions to stop the violence have remained unheard and I doubt that anything will change unless a strong external mediator, like Europe, steps in. This is why European citizens must remind politicians of their responsibilities”.
“We will take to the streets to express our heartfelt support to the inhabitants of Gaza , who in these days are losing hope in the international community, given its impotence in stopping the bombs”.
What does the Italian pacifist movement have to say about the war raging in Gaza? “That it is necessary to look for a unanimity of intentions”, says Lotti, “the demonstration is an expression of our support for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. A solution that today is far from being found. “Certainly the current war has only served to make the situation even more tragic. Considering the outcome of the war so far, it would seem that it is resulting in a political victory for Hamas as their resistance to Israeli attacks makes them stronger,” concludes the coordinator of the Italian Peace Table. “But we have to believe that peace is possible: nowadays one enemy cannot crush another so dialogue is the only possible solution,” he added.
Translation: By Cristina Barbetta
Find out more: Could social enterprise offer hope to Palestine?
