"The Bibbiena city council washes its hands of Gaza: a "harmless" peace that betrays institutional dignity."

Arezzo, August 1, 2025 – "The Bibbiena city council washes its hands of Gaza: a "harmless" peace that betrays institutional dignity."

The majority rejects the Community List's motion. Silvia Rossi: "Gaza is a genocide, not a generic conflict. This isn't neutrality; it's political cowardice and social demagoguery."

The Bibbiena City Council has deliberately failed to substantiate its "support for peace." Last night, the motion presented by the Community List for a concrete commitment to a ceasefire in Gaza and the symbolic recognition of the State of Palestine was passed by a majority vote alone, but in a version completely devoid of any meaning. The minority refused to accept amendments that removed every specific request: from the symbolic recognition of the State of Palestine to the sending of a formal communication to the Italian government, to the simple temporary display of the Palestinian flag on the City Hall.

"After a month of silence and a specious postponement of the debate, we expected a serious position from the majority, not attempts to undermine our motion with downward amendments," declared group leader Silvia Rossi. "Of the entire motion, only the 'softest' and most innocuous point remained: 'Formally express condemnation of all forms of violence that have affected the civilian population, particularly in the Gaza Strip, and to call for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and respect for humanitarian law.' Stating the obvious without taking concrete action is not politics; it is a sterile exercise in good intentions with no consequences. This vote reduces the Council's role to a showcase of fine words, ignoring the specific tragedy of Gaza, which is not a 'war' like any other, but a planned genocide, as denounced by international organizations and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Putting everything in the same pot is unacceptable populism that offends the victims."

The discussion was heated and, at times, surreal. The majority insisted that "it is not within the jurisdiction of a municipality to recognize a state," denying not only the value of the symbolic gesture, but also the duty of local institutions to exert pressure on the central government on issues that challenge human conscience and dignity. "We have been accused of 'politically exploiting a populist agenda,'" Rossi continued. "But the real exploitation comes from those who reduce the debate to mere matters of jurisdiction, refusing to express their opinion on anything that goes beyond municipal boundaries, except, of course, when there is a favorable political outcome. As if neutrality were a form of responsibility, rather than a form of political cowardice."

The controversy escalates over the Mayor's attitude, who until a few days ago carefully avoided taking a position on Gaza through institutional channels, especially in the Council. "It's disconcerting and offensive that the Mayor, just hours before such a sensitive vote, has suddenly 'discovered' his sensitivity to the Gaza issue on his social media," thunders Rossi. Suspicious timing, almost a 'covering oneself up' to avoid eroding consensus, with self-referential posts featuring personal photos of travel or meetings, rather than serious political commitment. But politics isn't made on social media! It's not made by posting photos of vacations or private meetings and passing them off as civic engagement, especially when tens of thousands of deaths and crimes against humanity are involved. Politics is made within institutions, where clear positions are taken and decisions are made that have a real impact on the community and the values we represent. Using social media as a showcase for a vain attempt to avoid 'displeasing' anyone, instead of the places where politics actually happens, is a transparent move of pure demagogy and discredits the very role of the City Council.

"But then again, we've been accused of wanting to 'get involved in politics.' Yes, that's exactly what we're called to do!" Silvia Rossi forcefully reiterates. "The City Council is the place of politics, where positions are taken, a collective voice is exercised, and decisions are given public meaning. Anyone who thinks politics is merely technical administration, or worse still, a showcase for gaining consensus with innocuous statements, has probably lost the meaning of their mandate."

It is frankly paradoxical to invoke the principle of self-determination of peoples, as some councilors have done in the Chamber, while simultaneously denying recognition of the Palestinian state. "The two are logically and historically incompatible," the group leader emphasizes. "Without a state, without institutions, without recognition, the right to self-determination remains merely an empty formula. The latest genocides of our era—from the Yazidis to the Kurds—show us what happens when people are left alone to invoke rights that no institution recognizes. Gaza, today, is the dramatic symbol of this contradiction: a people bombed, isolated, and abandoned to violence, while the institutions entrench themselves behind the refusal of political responsibility."

We, however, note with respect and attention the abstention of the President of the City Council. "A gesture that, despite his discretion, we interpret as a timid but appreciable sign of dissent from the position expressed by his majority," Rossi concludes. "And in this sense, we consider it an act of institutional dignity."

For our part, we strongly reiterate that a generic "support for peace," unaccompanied by concrete actions—even symbolic ones—is merely a cheap way to make a good impression. It is with actions, not with clichés, that intentions are demonstrated. If we abandon any stance, we also abandon the meaning of political action. Our call to the Mayor and the City Council remains to fully assume the responsibility of making choices, even difficult, even uncomfortable ones. Silence and neutrality do not build peace. They are only the luxury of those who can afford not to choose.