As tensions in Palestine continue to rise, many have expressed their frustration in different ways in support of the country. Whether it’s fashion stores removing brands who have advocated for Israel, or calls for boycotting Israeli products, many individuals have conveyed their deep anger with those who have turned a blind eye to this ongoing cruelty.
After discovering that an arms shipment in the Tuscan city of Livorno was destined for Israel, the Italian port workers’ union refused to load it. It was believed that the shipment was headed to Ashdod, a port in Israel filled with “weapons and explosives that will serve to kill the Palestinian population.” In response to this, L’Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) stated that “they will not be an accomplice in the massacre of the Palestinian people.”
With so many celebrities not exploiting their fame as a means of raising awareness for this ongoing injustice, and remaining neutral about this “two-sided conflict” instead, it is meaningful to witness acts of humanity like this one. By choosing their support for Palestine over securing their jobs, these individuals have laid the foundation for the level of solidarity we must all attain with a country that has suffered for too long.
Even though the arms shipment eventually made its way to Israel via another port, it is this tangible opposition to an ill-based brutality that leaves many of us grateful. We see this again with major fashion stores in Dubai removing Cult Gaia due to its founder posting a story “supporting Israel’s right to defend itself.“
Perhaps the effectiveness for these acts of intolerance are limited, but the very intent behind them still gives Palestine one ground to stand on. With social media on red, we all need to stand together hand in hand, and voice our solidarity with a country that has been ripped of its right to exist.