Nisa Sude Demirel
[email protected]

As conflict zones spread across the Middle East due to attacks by the US and Israel, voices of opposition are rising in many parts of the world against the massacres in Palestine and Iran. As protests against governments' continued support for Israel continue, examples of international solidarity are also increasing. One such example was the thousands of people who recently attempted to march to the Rafah crossing in Cairo. While the Egyptian government did not permit the march, the Israeli attack on Iran began around the same time, leading to a harsher stance toward the protesters.

Christini Louka-Desi, Secretary of the Salaried Engineers Union, who participated in the Global Gaza March as part of the Greek delegation, answered our questions about the Gaza March and how Israel and the US's positions in the Middle East are perceived in Greece.

“We were blocked from the beginning”

You were in Egypt to join the Global Gaza March, and, we know that the Egyptian government tried to ban the march to the Rafah board. So, what happened in Egypt? What did you see in Cairo?

Around 4000 people traveled to Cairo from all around the world. There were also people from Turkey as well. We met some people from the Turkish delegation. So our aim was exactly try to reach Rafah, where the humanitarian aid passes through Gaza. But Egypt authorities stopped us. They tried, to stop us, even from the moment we arrived in Cairo. The Greek delegation was under Polish Surbajans from the moment we arrived in Cairo. They kept us for, more than ten hours and under the threat of deportation. We said that we don't want to be deported, we are peaceful people. We didn't do anything, we're here for, Palestine.

And we stayed in the airport for so many hours, and we tried to say that we're going to stay. Then they let us free. But then, in every moment, there were police around us. They were kept asking for our passports, and they were coming to our hotels. They were getting in our bedrooms.

And in June 13, the delegation would start officially. We tried to reach Ismailia. And then at this area Egyptian police stopped us. And, after a lot of hours, they, returned, in violence, people back to Cairo.

When you were at Cairo Israel started the attack on Iran. So, how also the people in Global Gaza March, but also in Greece, how do how do people consider Israel's attacks on Iran like Gaza?

Generally, what's in Israel attacking other countries, shocks us. And, we are very concerned, with all these new, things that are happening. And, indeed, this, I think, made it even more difficult, for March to Gaza to continue because, it frightened a lot of people. Even after this, Egyptian authorities got even more strict with all the people that were for the march to Gaza. But, also, Greeks, we're very concerned with this because we are afraid, that this will continue. And now that The USA is involved, it means that they maybe we're coming closer, to bigger war, that more, countries will be involved, especially around this area. And we don't know what will be the consequences of this, new era. And then also Greek government, is, involved with NATO and, supports Israel in any form, European Union supports Israel. A lot of other governments support Israel. So, they're all in a way involved in this war.

“There’s a big distance between people and government”

Greece has also do you know NATO based at Suda area. A lot of NATO airplanes fly from there. So this will be a very big problem for Greek people. There is a big distance of what Greek people believe and the official position of Greek government. Because Greek people, they are supportive to Palestine and they don't want the war, but the Greek government has a different position.

As you said, Greece is involved in NATO but also there were so many Greek people in global Gaza March like you. So, had you get any help from Greek government to at least being safe?

Well, the Greek delegation had sent some papers to the embassies, in Egypt. At first, we had no reply on this. And then, the Greek government knew about the delegation. And the day we were departing from Greece and we're at the airport, we saw an announcement from the main, foreign minister, and it was saying, we're telling you to obey to Egyptian authorities' rules. So from this part, there was no support to us. The moment that we were at the airport kept by the police and threatened to be deported, we contacted, to some Greek lawyers and then to the Greek embassy in Egypt. And they actually came to the airport, but in fact they never expressed if they're positive or negative to our movement. They did some, not negotiations, i would say more like translation.  We pushed the Greek embassy not to deport us.

“We need an international anti-war movement”

But the government never said something positive about this delegation. Generally, they have a lot of programs in progress with Israel; war programs, in education, in real estate. This is more important for Greek government.

As you said, now, USA, involved and started to attack on Iran. We know the genocide keeps going on in Gaza. As the people in Turkey, we see that a lot of protests going on in Greece. Students, women, the other groups… So, how do you consider the protests, about both USA's and Israel's attacks on Gaza and Iran? Do you have a call to other people from different countries?

Since the war between Israel and Palestine started, we have protests almost every week. Last year, we had every Saturday. There were also other protests for Palestine during the week. So I think that the last two years, it has never stopped. Now, with Iran attack, today there is a protest. And tomorrow, there's also another protest because tomorrow there’s a NATO meeting.

So, people will protest today and tomorrow, and I think that the next few days will also continue. I think all the members that participated in March to Gaza helped to raise the “against the war” voice to be globally heard. I think is a way to meet people from other countries and try to make an international anti-war movement. I think there's no other way to stop this war.

From the beginning of the genocide in Gaza, we see that some dock workers refused to help them carry guns and weapons to Israel. And we see strikes or some protests in ports, also in Greece. How did it happen? How many workers joins these strikes or protests?

People that work in the docks have too many unions. So, it's very difficult to accurate how many people participate. Last year they stopped a ship. We were very happy to see this happening because it's an actual anti-war act. Now, there are some dock workers that on strike in Patra area. They talk about the war of course, but they're also fighting for their rights, for the salaries, for the health and safety issues. They have a very big problem with the Greek government. Government is trying to turn their strike illegal every day. But the good thing is that, most of the people from this area support their struggle.

Forwarding to the next article...

Click to cancel forwarding

10 seconds remaining

---

Click to load now-> PKK begins laying down arms | Weapons set ablaze for peace