A former Italian lawmaker recently made a bold statement by displaying a Palestinian flag on the facade of Milan’s main cathedral. The act was a protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, with the former Green party MP, Stefano Apuzzo, calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank. Apuzzo emphasized the need to stop the genocide against the Palestinian people and urged the Italian government not to send any more weapons to Israel.
In addition to demanding a ceasefire, Apuzzo also called for the Italian government to recognize Palestinian statehood. This display of solidarity with the Palestinian cause follows Apuzzo's previous action of hanging Palestinian flags at the lower house of the Italian legislature, the Chamber of Deputies. The gesture was met with applause from onlookers, including Green Milan city councilor, Carlo Monguzzi, who shared the moment on social media.
This demonstration in Milan comes amidst a growing momentum in Europe towards recognizing Palestinian statehood. Slovenia recently joined other European countries such as Spain, Ireland, and Norway in formally recognizing Palestinian statehood. While this trend is expected to bolster the Palestinian cause, it may strain diplomatic relations with Israel.
