��������

I rarely visit Rome without stopping at the Campo de’ Fiori to pay homage to Giordano Bruno, an Italian philosopher who, in 1600, was brutally burned at the stake during the Roman Inquisition. His crime was daring to challenge entrenched dogmas and to think freely about the infinite nature of the universe.
As I stood beneath his imposing statue at the weekend, a strange ruckus suddenly erupted, growing louder as a sizable group of protesters drew closer. Dozens of people of all ages banged on pots and pans with fervent urgency.
Following the initial shock and subsequent confusion, it became clear that the protest was an urgent attempt to awaken people to the horrific famine unfolding in Gaza. In no time, more people spontaneously joined in, some clapping in the absence of any other tools to make themselves heard. Waiters from the square’s osterie instinctively began to bang their hands on anything that could generate sound, adding to the clamor.
The square stood still momentarily, pulsating with the collective noise, before the protesters marched on to another square, their numbers visibly swelling with each step.
In the bustling streets of Rome, Palestinian flags are conspicuously the only non-Italian flags to occupy public spaces. They hang from light poles, are glued onto street signs or fly proudly atop balconies.
No other country, no other conflict, no other cause has permeated public spaces as profoundly as that of Palestine. Though this phenomenon is not entirely new, the ongoing Israeli war and genocide in Gaza has undeniably amplified this solidarity, pushing it beyond the traditional confines of class, ideology and political lines.
Yet, no other space in Italy can truly be compared to Naples. Palestinian symbols are everywhere, permeating the city’s fabric as if Palestine is the paramount political concern for the entire region’s populace.
What is particularly fascinating about the solidarity with Palestinians in this vibrant city is not merely the sheer volume of graffiti, posters and flags, but the very specific references made to Palestinian martyrs, prisoners and movements. Pictures of Walid Daqqa, Shireen Abu Akleh and Khader Adnan are prominently displayed alongside precise demands tailored to what would have been considered, outside of Palestine, largely unfamiliar specifics to a global audience.
How did Naples become so intricately attuned to the Palestinian discourse? This vital question resonates far beyond Italy, applying to numerous cities across the world. Notably, this major shift in the deeper understanding of the Palestinian struggle and the widespread embrace of the Palestinian people is unfolding despite the pervasive and unrelenting media bias in favor of Israel and the persistent intimidation by Western governments of pro-Palestinian activists.
In politics, critical mass is achieved when an idea, initially championed by a minority group, decisively transforms into a mainstream issue. This crucial shift allows it to overcome tokenism and begin to exert real and tangible influence in the public sphere.
In many societies around the world, the Palestinian cause has already attained that critical mass. In others, where government crackdowns still stifle the debate at its roots, organic growth nevertheless continues, thus also promising an inevitable and fundamental change.
And this is precisely the haunting fear of numerous Israelis, especially within the political and intellectual classes. Writing in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Friday, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak sounded the alarm once more. “The Zionist vision is collapsing,” he wrote, adding that Israel is “stuck in a ‘war of deception’ in Gaza.”
Though Israel’s pervasive hasbara machine is relentlessly striving to stave off the surging flood of sympathy with Palestine and the rising tide of rage against alleged Israeli war crimes, for now its focus remains intently fixed on justifying the extermination of Gaza, even at the high price of global condemnation and outrage.

No other country, no other conflict, no other cause has permeated public spaces as profoundly as that of Palestine.

Dr. Ramzy Baroud

When the war is finally over, however, Israel will undoubtedly exert its utmost efforts, employing numerous creative new ways to once more demonize the Palestinians and elevate itself, its so-called democracy and the “right to defend itself.”
Due to the growing international credibility of the Palestinian voice, Israel is already resorting to using Palestinians who indirectly defend Israel by faulting Gaza and attempting to play the role of the victim for “both sides.” The use of this insidious tactic is poised to grow exponentially, as it aims to create confusion and turn Palestinians against each other.
Palestinians, Arabs and all supporters of justice worldwide must urgently seize this critical opportunity to decisively defeat the Israeli hasbara for good. We must not allow Israel’s lies and deceit to once more define the discourse on Palestine on the global stage.
This war must be fiercely fought everywhere and not a single space must be conceded — not a parliament, a university, a sports event or a street corner.
Bruno endured a most horrific and painful death, yet he never abandoned his beliefs. In the Palestine solidarity movement, we too must not waver from the struggle for Palestinian freedom and the accountability of war criminals, regardless of the time, energy or resources required.
Now that Palestine has finally become an uncontested global cause, total unity is paramount to ensure the march toward freedom continues, so that the Gaza genocide becomes the final, agonizing chapter of the Palestinian tragedy.

• Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of six books. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappe, is ‘Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out.’ His website is www.ramzybaroud.net. X: @RamzyBaroud