The tents of the student collectives at the University of Bologna – Photogram
“We camp, you don’t make excuses.” The catchy slogan chosen by the collectives of the University of Bologna explains very well the latest pro-Gaza mobilization, complete with tents outside the university and permanent garrisons, but it is above all the anti-Israel rhetoric that is worrying. There is a common front that links the Emilian capital to the Sapienza University of Rome – where yesterday a public meeting of those calling for a boycott of the agreements with the universities of Tel Aviv took place – and to the Bicocca University of Milan, which indicated the model: Columbia University. What is happening in America is the example to follow for the theme song “Cambiare Rotta”, which has organized another protest for Thursday. After the stop to the conference on Israel at the Milan State University last week, due to the risks linked to public order, it is therefore appropriate to reflect on the organization of these movements, which move as autonomous cells within universities.
Organized minorities?
«What is worrying is the re-emergence of anti-Zionist positions, but those who make comparisons with the period of 1968 are wrong», observes the philosopher Davide Assael, involved in the Jewish community and always open to dialogue. «Whoever refers to that historical phase risks making a caricatural representation of reality. First of all because the numbers today are totally different: we are in the presence of minorities of very distinctive collectives, while at the time of the protest, in the universities, there was a much larger generational mobilization.” No parallel, therefore, with the protests in Italian cities, nor with the “French May” nor with the “Vietnam generation” that was exploding on the other side of the ocean. If anything, what needs to be told today is the common struggle against all imperialism, which has always fascinated committed young people, especially on the far left, and which has made the Palestinian cause a banner. «In reality – continues Assael – the interest in this cause should be reversed: the post-October 7 initiatives in fact say that the real issue to be resolved concerns the “Jewish question”, also due to the failure of the West to elaborate on the Shoah» . This movement goes back to culture woke and seems to blame much of the evils of this historical period on the West (starting from not having taken into account its colonial past) but the most striking thing seems to be the ability to unite fathers and children, as demonstrated by axis in Italian universities between some academic Senates and collectives, in the name of a common nostalgia for old ideologies and of a common battle, which has certainly had and is having a strong media appeal, beyond the small numbers of the protest.
Even in part of the Muslim world there is concern about what is happening. «We must prevent students from being manipulated», says Yahya Pallavicini, vice president of Coreis, the Italian Islamic religious community, according to whom «universities cannot transform themselves into a minefield of hatred. It’s one thing to show solidarity with a people, it’s another to risk being exploited. We must be honest and recognize asymmetries: for us Hamas represents no one, except a group of criminals and terrorists.” It is clear that the suggestive call to the Intifada, evoked by the collectives, also has repercussions within Italian Islam, apart from the flag deployments, because it inevitably causes what Imam Pallavicini calls «the visceral and emotional unleashing, of public opinion.” On top of all this, the decision announced by the Netanyahu government to bomb Rafah is truly «a negative signal. Enough with the all-out conflict, enough with the fury against the Palestinians”, repeats the vice president of Coreis.
Imam Yahya Pallavicini – undefined
Government and rectors in the crosshairs
In the collectives’ sights are «the rectors of Italian universities, and in particular the rector and president of the Crui, Giovanna Iannantuoni», we read in the Cambiare Rotta post. The reason? “They have not yet taken a clear position that breaks with the war chain and the Zionist apartheid regime.” The movements speak of «victories obtained by the universities of Bari and Turin, with the academic boycott of the Maeci ban and in continuity with the US universities in struggle». The date circled on the calendar is May 15th, the day of remembrance of the so-called “Nakba”a name used to indicate the forced exodus of 700,000 Palestinian Arabs from the territories occupied by Israel during the first conflict of 1948.
«It is a delicate moment», the University Minister, Anna Maria Bernini, admitted in an interview, according to which «protest, dissent, criticism, even harsh, are completely legitimate expressions. The real distinction, unacceptable and insurmountable, is violence. Preventing someone from speaking is the opposite of democracy.” The executive member also mentioned American President Joe Biden. «He said:“ The right to protest does not mean the right to chaos. We are not an authoritarian state that silences people and represses dissent, but we are not a lawless country either.” I agree with this approach and, at the same time, underline that in Italy the situation appears largely under control. There is no chaos.”
