Pro-Gaza demonstrations: why there are two, in Rome and Milan, and what the differences are

All to stop the massacre of civilians in Gaza, all for the recognition of the state of Palestine under the banner of 'two peoples two states', all against Benjamin Netanyahu's military policy. So why are there two demonstrations organised by the oppositions? First in Milan with the event inside the Parenti theatre organised by Azione and Italia Viva, with speeches by the two leaders Carlo Calenda and Matteo Renzi, after a long time together again. The next day with the Roman procession that will wind its way from Piazza Vittorio to Piazza San Giovanni organised by the PD, M5s and Alleanza Verdi Sinistra.

The fact is that, despite the common objectives, the platforms of the two mobilisations contain some not insignificant differences: the one in Rome takes the united motion of the PD, M5s and Alelanza Verdi|Left presented to the Chamber of Deputies in which they demand, among other things, a stop to the EU-Israel association agreement. The second one, on the other hand, places particular emphasis on the fight against anti-Semitism. "If they had also wanted our participation, they would have integrated the platform with the remarks of the Left for Israel (the association of the Dem Emanuele Fiano, Piero Fassino and Lia Quartapelle, ed.) and would therefore have said much sharper things against Hamas, much sharper things against anti-Semitism, much sharper things on the release of the Israeli hostages...,' the centrists are told. And Calenda himself puts it this way: 'I have nothing against the demonstration in Rome, of which, however, we do not agree with what is missing: the piece on Hamas, the piece on those who want the destruction of the State of Israel, the piece on even stronger and more pronounced anti-Semitism'. In short, the fact that Pd, M5s and Avs refused to integrate their platform by giving more strength to the themes posed by the centrists - also because, it must be said, the themes of the risk of anti-Semitism and the release of hostages were already present in the parliamentary motion - led to the break-up and the paradox of two squares with the same goal.

'The common goal is a cease-fire in Gaza,' stressed Dem minority senator Filippo Sensi. 'It would have been better to have a single demonstration representing all the opposition forces that in recent days have asked the government to report on Gaza. All the conditions were there. So it was not. But at this moment, beyond any distinguation, the important thing was that we all mobilised for the ceasefire. Therefore, as parliamentarians, if it has to be done both in Rome and Milan, it means we go to both'. A patrol of the PD, therefore, will be at both events: in addition to Sensi and the leaders of Left for Israel, Simona Malpezzi, Lorenzo Guerini, Graziano Delrio, Alessandro Alfieri, Walter Verini, Pina Picierno, Giorgio Gori and others will be in both Rome and Milan. With former prime minister Paolo Gentiloni warning: 'On 7 June in Rome it is very important that there is no ambiguity in the condemnation of Hamas and the demand for the release of the hostages'.

In any case, the two events are confirmation, if there was still a need, that foreign policy remains the main divisive factor in the broad camp. With Elly Schlein's Pd favouring the 'narrow' axis with the M5s and Avs at this stage, the same in favour of the labour referendum, putting a mute for now on the strong divisions with Giuseppe Conte's party on the Ukrainian issue and EU rearmament. But, on closer inspection, there are also differences on the Middle East issue. It is enough to listen to the M5s leader: 'In Gaza there is genocide and whoever today does not look it in the face, whoever says that the demonstration cannot take place is assuming an historic responsibility. We are beyond the violation of law, we are facing a massacre of humanity'. Words that in the PD house - where the term 'genocide' rejected by the Jews is handled with extreme caution - are weighed one by one. Also in the fear that on Saturday in the Roman square some souls may be set too on fire.