24-hour strike in Spain against the genocide in Palestine

In Spain, a 24-hour general strike was held under the banner of "against the genocide and occupation in Palestine" at the call of more than 200 unions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). As part of the strike held across the country, mass demonstrations were organized in major cities such as the capital Madrid, Barcelona, and Bilbao. Additionally, university students announced that they would stage a walkout.

The death toll in Gaza has reached 41,534 in the attacks Israel has been carrying out for 356 days. Emphasizing that these attacks, which are about to complete their first year, have reached an "intolerable level," the unions and NGOs called on the Spanish government to "urgently sever diplomatic, commercial, and military relations so as not to be a part of the ethnic cleansing carried out by Israel."

Within the framework of the strike, actions were carried out in many places, primarily at factories producing military equipment, and in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid. Carmen Arnaiz, Secretary of Social Activities of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), said, "We organized this action to support the demands of Palestinian workers. The greatest action we can take is a general strike, and even if it is symbolic, it carries a very great meaning."

Arnaiz emphasized that the message they want to send to the Spanish government and the whole world is to sever all relations with Israel. She stated, "Israel is violating international law and human rights. The first step should be to sever relations with this government. Furthermore, arms exports need to be brought under control."

Stating that actions in support of Palestine must continue all over the world, Arnaiz used the expressions, "We must prevent the normalization of the killing of thousands of civilians."

Furthermore, regarding the bans imposed on pro-Palestine demonstrations in some European countries such as Germany, France, England, and Italy, Arnaiz, who said, "This should be defined as fascism," added, "Banning the right to protest is a great dilemma for Europe. It is unacceptable for a child to be subjected to violence in Germany just for carrying a Palestinian flag. We expect civil society in Europe to react against such bans."

News Source: AA