ANPI branches oppose the agreement with the UCEI: “Anti-fascism and anti-Zionism are inseparable”

A week after the agreement was signed between the national ANPI and the Union of Italian Jewish Communities to ensure the participation of the Jewish Brigade in the 25 April commemorations, a rift has opened up within the partisan association. The ANPI Nizza Lingotto branch in Turin is openly contesting the agreement; this is a city where the spectrum of opposition – from Askatasuna to the No Tav movement, right through to the Pro Pal raid on the editorial offices of "La Stampa" – has historically been deeply rooted.

In a document approved by the section committee on 30 July, members describe the joint ANPI-UCEI statement as “unacceptable”, accusing the national leadership of having yielded to pressure from the Union of Jewish Communities. The section also reiterates the criticisms levelled over the years at the Jewish Brigade during the 25 April parades, describing it as “a military unit that played an insignificant role in the liberation of Italy and was primarily intended to promote the establishment of the Zionist state to the international community in the post-war period”, opposes its presence at Liberation Day events and states that it has “adopted the Palestinian flag”. The text also states that the authors “cannot bear to deal with those who do not recognise and condemn the ongoing genocide”, describe Zionists as “criminals” and conclude with the slogan: “Long live the Palestinian resistance!”.

“Anti-fascism and anti-Zionism have become inseparable!”, reads one of the comments on the post published on the Turin branch’s Facebook page. Another commenter writes: “We need to clean house within the ANPI, just as we must do within the parties that call themselves left-wing. Anyone who does not identify with the values of anti-fascism, self-determination, the freedom of peoples, and opposition to war and genocide cannot, in my view, be part of either the ANPI or the left. We’ve had enough of Christian Democrats.” The tone is heated. “Many anti-fascists and anti-Zionists who are members of the ANPI are strongly contesting the ANPI–UCEI agreement, and various statements have been drafted by many branches,” adds a member, hoping that the ANPI will scrap the agreement with the Union of Italian Jewish Communities. Among the branches that have spoken out against dialogue with the UCEI are two in Milan, one in Rome, one in Venice and one in Grugliasco, also in the province of Turin. 

The statement from Turin comes after the Jewish Brigade lodged a complaint regarding the incidents that took place at the Milan march on 25 April and represents, to date, the most explicit and forceful challenge to the agreement reached between the leadership of the ANPI and the UCEI, which was established precisely to prevent a repeat of intimidation and expulsions during Liberation Day celebrations. But judging by the tone of the extremist factions, this coming 25 April will also see a script that has already been written.