Student collectives from France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and other countries have announced plans to halt classes if any of the flotillas heading toward Gaza are intercepted. This declaration follows reports from the Global Sumud Flotilla of explosions and disruptions in communications due to drones hovering overhead. Israeli authorities have vowed to prevent the Gaza-bound flotilla from reaching its destination, citing that the vessels and their activists aim to “breach a lawful naval blockade.”
In a press statement released by students in France, they emphasized, “After the call from Italian, Spanish, and French students earlier this September, more student collectives are joining the action in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. We are telling our governments: If you stop the flotilla, we’ll stop classes.” The statement was shared by Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament.
The collective called for an expansion of the movement, inviting more student groups worldwide to join. The statement continued, “In the face of horror, mobilizations do not weaken; they actually expand. Following the departure of several flotillas from Spain, Italy, and Tunisia, solidarity is organizing. In light of the Israeli government’s threats of repression, dock workers in Genoa and Barcelona have pledged to ‘block Europe’ if the flotillas are intercepted. Students from Naples and Barcelona have also vowed to disrupt classes if the convoy is attacked.”
The students demanded the immediate registration, reception, and regularization of all Palestinian refugee students, without conditions. They underscored that “Supporting Palestine is not a crime! Break all ties with the State of Israel!” Furthermore, the statement condemned partnerships between universities and companies implicated in violence, pointing out that the French government has demonstrated complicity by freezing the intake of Palestinian refugees, including students.
The Global Sumud Flotilla provided an update on social media, stating that its lead vessels are now “just 366 nautical miles [678 km] from Gaza, with an estimated arrival in three to four days.” The flotilla mentioned that it would soon enter a high-risk area and urged global vigilance. It was noted that two new boats are joining the fleet, bringing the total to 44 vessels.
Tracking data indicated that the flotilla is currently navigating south of the Dodecanese Islands in Greece. Additionally, Turkey has joined Spain, Italy, and Greece in monitoring the Global Sumud Flotilla; flight data shows long-endurance drones deployed from Turkey’s Corlu airbase have been circling over the flotilla for three days.
This report on the student collectives’ warning and the flottilla’s journey was originally published by Maktoob Media.
Tags: student protests, Europe, flotilla, education disruption, collective action
Hashtags: #stop #flotilla #stop #classes #Student #collectives #Europe #warn
