Former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau has proclaimed that"the Palestinian cause is the cause of humanity," shortly before the departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla to the Gaza Strip this afternoon from the city's port.
The former councillor of Barcelona en Comú is one of the members of the international solidarity mission made up of around twenty boats and around 300 people, among which the presence of Greta Thunberg also stands out.
The Swedish climate activist, who is once again participating in an international humanitarian aid flotilla after being detained by Israel in June, has pointed out that"every day there are more people who open their eyes to the atrocities" of Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, yesterday guaranteed"diplomatic and consular protection" for the initiative: "We will not allow any action that violates international law."
According to the promoters, this is the largest Freedom Flotilla of all those organized in solidarity with Palestine, as dozens of boats from other parts of the Mediterranean are expected to join in the coming days (Italy, Greece, and Tunisia). The journey is expected to last between one and two weeks.
In late July, the Israeli Army intercepted the Handala vessel as it sailed toward Gaza to break the blockade and deliver food and medicine. Two Spaniards were part of the mission and were arrested and subsequently deported.
In June, another Freedom Flotilla boat, the Madleen, was also boarded in international waters, and Thunberg was among the detained crew. The name chosen for this new attempt is no coincidence: the Arabic word"sumud" means "steadfastness."
Barcelona City Council has facilitated the organization of a program of events starting on Friday at the port's Moll de la Fusta in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla. The municipal government of the PSC has indicated that,"as with other humanitarian causes," it will make a financial contribution to help cover the costs of the initiatives related to the departure of the Flotilla."
For his part, the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, expressed two days ago his total agreement with the civil initiative"to show solidarity and condemn the genocide that exists in Gaza." "It says a lot about Catalan society," said the head of the Government, who made explicit recognition of the role of the mayor of the city, the also socialist Jaume Collboni.
Unity of the left
Some of the politicians who are also part of the expedition are Pilar Castillejo (member of the CUP party in the Parlament ), Jordi Coronas (councillor of ERC in Barcelona) or Lucía Muñoz (coordinator of Podemos in Baleares and councilor of the Palma City Council).
Speaking from the port of Barcelona, the MEP and political secretary of Podemos, Irene Montero, has highlighted the conjunction of several progressive political forces in this cause:"At a time of disagreement within the left, the image of unity between independence parties, Podemos, Comuns and even socialists is important."
However, the former Minister of Equality has said that"the silence and inaction" of Pedro Sánchez's Government is also "a form of complicity with genocide" and has demanded that the PSOE and Sumar Executive impose "a total arms embargo on Israel" and that it break "all diplomatic and commercial relations" with that country.
Representing EH Bildu, its deputy in the Basque Parliament Amancay Villalba traveled to the Catalan capital. Morocco prevented her from entering Western Sahara in January as part of a political delegation that traveled from Euskadi.
