Spain and Italy, not US, protecting 22 Americans on Global Sumud Flotilla targeted for destruction by Israel

Spain and Italy, not US, protecting 22 Americans on Global Sumud Flotilla targeted for destruction by Israel

 

Global Sumud Flotilla consists of 52 boats seeking to bring food and medicine to over 2,000,000 beleaguered Palestinians starving in Gaza from the Israeli genocide there. It contains over 500 incredibly courageous unarmed volunteers facing endless attack by Israel. Twenty-two Americans including 6 ex-service members are aboard.

 

The Flotilla is under constant Israeli attack using unmanned drones, deployment of incendiary devices, and dispersal of chemical substances to stop the Flotilla from reaching starving Palestinians.  .  

 

Yesterday Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Spain will join Italy in sending a military warship to help the Flotilla. While attending the UN Summit in New York Sanchez did not hold back from condemning Israel’s grotesque attacks on the innocent humanitarians:

 

“The government of Spain insists that international law be respected and that the right of our citizens should be respected to sail through the Mediterranean in safe conditions. Tomorrow we will dispatch a naval vessel from Cartagena with all necessary resources in case it was necessary to assist the flotilla and carry out a rescue operation.”

 

The US response to endless Israeli attacks on humanitarian boats, some containing Americans risking their lives to bring aid to starving Palestinians? Nada, nothing, zilch. Why would the US do anything that might interfere with their enabling of Israel’s genocide in Gaza? Despicable US refusal to end the genocide in Gaza, even if it means Americans might die, is further evidence American foreign policy is dictated by the practitioners of genocide in Israel.  

 

There are 296 battle force ships in the US Navy, the world’s largest. But when it comes to endangered Americans seeking to aid the starving Palestinians their government is complicit in starving, the US is essentially saying, ‘Sorry boys, we don’t have a ship to spare’.  

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL 

Trump to Netanyahu: ‘Here’s another $6 billion to polish off those pesky Palestinians

 Trump to Netanyahu: ‘Here’s another $6 billion to polish off those pesky Palestinians

President Trump has more important things to accomplish than spend taxpayer treasure on the commons, be it infrastructure, education, health care, green energy to name a few. Nope, top of the list for Trump is gifting his comrade in Palestinian genocide Benjamin Netanyahu with another $6 billion in weaponry to complete Israel’s genocidal ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.

The six billion includes 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and 3,250 infantry assault vehicles, just what Netanyahu needs to obliterate Palestinians he doesn’t starve to death. All this with a compliant Congress and Trump’s grisly assistance.

Meanwhile the American public largely ignores the genocide its government enables; indeed could not occur without the tens of billions first Biden and now Trump has gifted Israel in the two years of genocidal ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

Americans should take a page from the Italian public which is putting America to shame with their pushback against their government’s support of the genocide.

Yesterday Italian labor unions led a massive 24-hour general strike to protest Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands in over 75 cities across Italy shut down businesses, schools, train stations and ports.

Protest leaders targeted right-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, pointing out her complicity in Israeli’s genocide through arms sales to Israel. Meloni has rejected the ICC warrants and said Netanyahu would not be arrested if he enters Italy.

Giuseppe Conte, who leads the independent progressive Five Star Movement charged “Meloni should listen to the voice of those who are peacefully protesting and asking her to act, rather than curling up to Washington to protect her friend, the war criminal Netanyahu. “Meloni should take a stand with the facts against those who have slaughtered 20,000 children, rather than limiting herself to saying, ‘I do not agree.’ And she should stop running away from the debate in Parliament.”

The Italian pushback is more symbolic than substantive since Italy’s Prime Minister Meloni is a small player in genocide enabling compared to America’s monstrous, decisive role.

Wake up Americans. Replicate the Italian general strike here and even ravenous genocide enabler Trump, his ghoulish genocide advisors and our deplorable Congress might take notice and pivot to peace.