Of all the nations I didn't expect Italy do do something, given the government parties statements on the flotilla.
As an Italian I won't believe our ship will actually do something useful until I see it
Benedetta Scuderi, an Italian member of the European Parliament for the leftist Greens-European Free Alliance group who has joined the flotilla, told Italian public radio RAI that drones had dropped stun grenades.
Well this is why probably. Can't let one of your MPs get attacked, bit of a prestige issue when you just let that happen. Other quotes seem to go in that direction at least:
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said in a statement the sea convoy had been targeted by "currently unidentified perpetrators". He expressed the "strongest condemnation" of the incident.
He added the Italian multi-purpose frigate Fasan, previously sailing north of Crete, was "already on route" towards the flotilla "for possible rescue operations."
An Italian official said the navy had been mobilised primarily to help Italians on board.
Note how they specifically avoid saying the boat is there to protect the flotilla.
Just by being there it's protecting the flotilla. Israel will have a hard time attacking, or even continuing to claim that the flotilla is Hamas if the Italian navy is escorting.
I've just heard this news and I'm so very proud of Italy. Finally. Finally a nation takes action...Forza!
Funny enough they possibly won't need to if they stay "somewhat close".
Israel cannot risk that an Italian frigate might actually provide reliable sensor data where the drones came from (or worse,even identify a mothership) - and the FREMM class frigates are bloody capable in that regard. That would allow Meloni to have an incredibly powerful diplomatic card in her hand (not only against Israel but also against the US and indirectly also parts of the EU)
If Bibi is really stupid enough to do more shit with the drones while not being too sure that Italy won't intervene and the Fasan does actually shoot a few drones down (which it is absolutely capable off - it's basically one of it's main jobs) then he risks that these parts are being found and that a diplomatic incident that is bigger than the Polish drone incident is created and basically makes sure that the EU must seriously sanction his country. (Which would directly fuck up his war plans and his defence industry)
Will that make the flotilla arrive? No. Because at some point the Fasan needs to turn back. That will very likely be at the border of Israel's exclusive economic zone at the latest. (Even if Italy is really brave, the 12 mile zone would be the absolute limit - and 12 miles is a long time for Israel to sink, capture or incapacitate a civil flotilla.)
There is sadly absolutely no chance (maybe beside a collective stroke of Bibi and his right wing secretaries) for this flotilla to reach Gaza.
Just by being there it's protecting the flotilla. Israel will have a hard time attacking, or even continuing to claim that the flotilla is Hamas if the Italian navy is escorting.
I've just heard this news and I'm so very proud of Italy. Finally. Finally a nation is taking action...Forza Italia!
Fortunately, this came after the entire working class of Italy caused a general strike.
The power of unions people!!!!!
Thank you Italy, let’s all put our bodies to the gears of the machine like Italy did
“There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious—makes you so sick at heart—that you can't take part. You can't even passively take part. And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all.” —Mario Savio (1964)
Those were the days my friend.
Imagine if that momentum had been captured instead of crushed and marginalized
It's immortalised in things like the passage you quoted
Thank you, Italy, for doing the right thing where too many countries are doing the wrong thing.
Italy should have provided protection before they was bombed
Right, I'd say Italy should send their troops in Gaza to protect the Palestinian people, who needs the other countries? Am I right?
Well they deported the jews in the first place. I believe it was tiberia
What? 🤣
I said they should shot down drones like they did against Houthis , i didn't say that they should fight israel in gaza although i wouldn't oppose it since they is a war of extermination
Why do you think they are meeting the flotilla?
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said in a statement the sea convoy had been targeted by "currently unidentified perpetrators". He expressed the "strongest condemnation" of the incident.
He added the Italian multi-purpose frigate Fasan, previously sailing north of Crete, was "already on route" towards the flotilla "for possible rescue operations."
Rescue operations is better than nothing i guess.
Also the Italian navy doesn't fuck around when people are in danger and there are multiple examples of this in history.
Well ... Unless the people are dark skinned refugees in rubber boats.
Do you have some source about any event of what you are saying?
Because I remember countless occasions in at least the past 20 years where the navy has saved people who were dying in the middle of the Mediterranean.
Unfortunately yes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_Otranto
And more recently
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Calabria_migrant_boat_disaster
Approximately an hour later, two Guardia di Finanza boats were launched to investigate the vessel; both were forced to turn back due to the bad weather, and this was communicated to the Italian Coast Guard. Despite having boats capable of operating in such conditions, a rescue operation was not attempted for approximately another four hours, or almost six hours after the boat had been first spotted
And I went only based on my memory. I don't want do dig further
Not when israel it the attacker, israel is completely lawless
They are literally going to rescue those people after Nazisrael's attacks.
You guys should post your sources because there is nothing worth a discussion here, except cringe slogans.
My friend is on a lifesaver boat in mediteranea. Idk about the Navy but the coast guard definitely let a few rafts full of civilians drawn instead of letting then land
How many? When? Why?
"A few", since we have fascists in the government and because their electorate are a bunch of racists.
In my opinion. Which doesn't automagically delete all the things the navy (among others) have done in the last decades
Italy and other countries should have threatened to take actions against israel if the flotillas are ever attacked and prividing protection before the attack even happened
It's something but it protects Europeans in the Flotilla more than the Palestinians waiting on aid
after over a decade of Europe ignoring high seas piracy against their own boats?
Holy based
I am stumped as to why Meloni is lifting a finger to protect the flotilla.
Two consecutive general strikes
It's a smart move. That's why.
At the minimum:
It calms down the protesters at home.
It does not officially provoke Israel (which still might be fuming behind closed doors,but who cares from the Italian POV) - because it's just a rescue operation, right?
And if Meloni is lucky because the Israelis are doing something stupid (which is not out of the question), she gets a diplomatic card that is incredibly powerful.
Imagine the following scenario: Israel attacks the flotilla again, sadly three people die. Italy doesn't even need to intervene to win the card. Because the chances that they then have very very detailed and irrefutable proof who did it is fairly high - their frigate is fairly capable. So there is a good chance they could track the drones or even identify their mothership. Which then would allow Meloni to blackmail basically half the world. Towards Israel (and to a limited amount the US) she could demand defence products or similar things at a bargain - or she will make the radar records public and then the EU would need to impose sanctions basically as it's sadly a different thing to kill Palestinians in Gaza compared to kill Europeans in European waters in the mind of most politicians. Towards the countries in the EU who are still somewhat ambivalent toward Israel(mostly due to opportunistic reasons)they could,behind closed doors, also threaten to release the records to shift public opinion in these countries even more and increase intra-EU sanction pressure.
And of course she could also sell out the records to Qatar for some cheap LNG deals.
It's a clever move.
I don't think most people are that stupid
She said he would not protect the flotilla if attacked .
I don't want to click on an Israeli media so i will just post a screenshot of the article that indicate it
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