By Palestine Chronicle Staff

In various Italian towns, marches are being held to celebrate Liberation Day, when Nazi occupation and Fascist rule of Italy has ended in 1945. Palestine featured prominently in many of these events. 

Palestinian flags throughout the Liberation Day rallies began appearing in the 1970s, when Italian movements started to reflect on the Italian experience in comparison to other national struggles against oppression around the world.

Despite pressures coming from pro-Israeli Jewish communities in Italy, which boycotted the marches, Palestinian flags were still present in many demonstrations. Protesters called for an end to Israeli occupation, vowed to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian Resistance movement, and reiterated the near-global consensus that Jerusalem is not Israel’s capital.

Yousef Salman, President of the Palestinian Community of Rome and Lazio, told The Palestine Chronicle:

“On this day, Italy celebrates the liberation from Nazi and Fascist occupation. Every free and democratic person in this great country must celebrate, along with all the people who, all over the world, are fighting for freedom, justice, and peace. The decision to participate came naturally to the Palestinians because we have been fighting for our country for more than 50 years, to liberate our land from the horrible and brutal Israeli occupation.”

“The paths of Italian and Palestinian people are crossed,” he added, “and we want to follow their teachings, hoping that one day, we will celebrate our ‘Liberation Day’, finally free from the Israeli occupation.”

(PC, Social Media)