Student collectives in Europe warn: ‘If you stop the flotilla, we’ll stop classes’
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New Delhi: Student collectives from countries including France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands issued a warning that they would stop classes if the flotillas heading to Gaza were stopped, maktoobmedia.com reported.
Earlier the Global Sumud Flotilla reportedly faced communication jamming and explosions as drones descended on it.
The warning comes after Israel announced that it would stop flotilla heading to Gaza saying that activists were attempting to ‘breach a lawful naval blockade’.
The press statement of students of France, shared by Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament, said: ‘After the call from Italian, Spanish and French students earlier this September, more student collectives are joining the call to action, in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. We are telling our governments: If you stop the flotilla, we’ll stop classes’.
The statement further said that ‘In the face of horror, mobilizations do not weaken, they actually expand. Since the departure of the dozens of Flotilla from the Spanish State, Italy or Tunisia: solidarity is organizing. Faced with threats of repression from the Israeli government, the dockers of Genoa and Barcelona announced that they would “block Europe” if the flotillas were intercepted. In Naples, or in Barcelona, the students announced to block their classes in case of an attack on the convoy. From our universities, we must demand the end of partnerships with companies complicit in genocide and with the military-industrial complex, which puts our knowledge at the service of the ongoing and future massacres’.
While asserting that support for Palestine is not crime, the students sought unconditional registration, reception and regularization of all Palestinian refugee students.
Taking on Israel’s continuing military action in Gaza, the students said: ‘The cancellation of all legal and administrative proceedings that weigh on students and staff mobilized. Supporting Palestine is not a crime! Break all ties with the State of Israel!’
The Global Sumud Flotilla’s lead vessels, according to a social media update, are ‘now just 366 nautical miles [678km] from Gaza, with an estimated arrival in three to four days’.
The GSF said that ‘In just two days, the flotilla will enter the high-risk zone,’ adding ‘Our determination is absolute, but this is the moment where your global vigilance and solidarity are needed most.’
It is reported citing flight data that Turkiye has joined Spain, Italy and Greece in monitoring the Global Sumud Flotilla.
