Bangladesh slams flotilla’s interception
Bangladesh has condemned Israel’s attack on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla and demanded the immediate, unconditional release of the aid and rights workers seized at sea.
In a statement on Friday, the Foreign Ministry of the South Asian nation called the Israeli action a “flagrant violation of international law and a brazen manifestation of Israel’s use of hunger as a weapon of war”.
Dhaka urged Israel to guarantee the safety of those detained and to end what it described as a genocidal war and humanitarian blockade in Gaza.
“The much-needed humanitarian aid flotilla represents global solidarity with the occupied Palestinian people. Israel must allow its unhindered access to Gaza, where civilians are being denied their basic rights to life, dignity and livelihood,” the ministry said.
Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people, does not recognise Israel.
Colombia expels Israeli diplomats over flotilla incident involving detained Colombian nationals
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has ordered the expulsion of Israel’s entire diplomatic delegation from the country in protest over the detention of two Colombian nationals aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Petro had cut diplomatic ties with Israel in May 2024. On Wednesday, however, he went further, instructing any remaining Israeli diplomatic representatives to leave Colombian territory immediately.
Italy’s unions call general strike to protest interception of flotilla aid mission.
Unions across Italy have called a daylong general strike to protest against the interception of the flotilla. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in support of the aid mission, which academics in Rome say has long resonated in the Catholic-majority country.
“After what I saw with the flotilla, I thought I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. It’s the first time I’ve joined this kind of demonstration,” Mario Mascetti, a protester in Rome, told Reuters.
In the capital, crowds marched from Piazza Vittorio to the main train station, carrying union and Palestinian flags as well as banners. The strike caused delays and cancellations across the rail network, with more limited disruption at airports. Metro lines continued running in both Rome and Milan.
“This is not just any strike. We’re here to defend brotherhood among peoples, to put humanity back at the centre, to say no to genocide and to a policy of rearmament,” said Maurizio Landini, leader of the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL).
