Today, Monday, a comprehensive strike took place in several Arab and Islamic cities around the world, denouncing the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
In previous days, activists on social media platforms launched calls for a comprehensive strike around the world in solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip in the face of the Israeli aggression.
The activists said that the comprehensive strike aims to put pressure on governments and force them to take serious action to stop the ongoing Israeli massacres and genocide in Gaza.
According to the details of the calls circulating on social media sites, participation in the global strike includes refraining from going to work centers, schools, and universities, or opening shops in commercial centers, not using vehicles, not shopping, or using bank cards to pay for their purchases.
For its part, the International Union of Muslim Scholars announced its support for the calls for a global strike and called for strong participation in the strike scheduled for Monday, to press for an end to the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which has been going on for more than two months.
The Union also called – in a statement – on Muslims and free people in the world to demonstrate and sit-in against the crimes of the Israeli occupation and its partner, the United States of America, and urged to continue the strike and to mobilize institutions, bodies, parties, movements and major figures in the world until it achieves its goal, and their governments respond to the desire of the people and the war stops.
marking #Comprehensive_strike It tops Arab and international interaction lists coinciding with a strike in a number of cities around the world#Gaza_War pic.twitter.com/D2tfdqVbHn
– Tel Aviv Tribune Channel (@AJArabic) December 11, 2023
Lebanon
Lebanon adhered to global comprehensive strike calls in support of the Gaza Strip, and movement stopped completely in the streets of the capital, Beirut, and other Lebanese cities, in solidarity with Gaza, the Palestinian people, and the southern Lebanese villages.
Public and private schools, banks, public administrations, and a number of private administrations were closed, in compliance with the government’s decision calling for a comprehensive strike.
Yesterday, Sunday, the Lebanese Council of Ministers announced the closure of all departments and institutions in the country, today, Monday, in solidarity with Gaza, the Palestinian people, and the southern Lebanese villages, and in response to the global call for Gaza.
The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates also announced today the closure of its departments in Lebanon and the Lebanese missions abroad, in compliance with the Cabinet memorandum.
Press coverage: “Strike in Lebanon; in support of Gaza.” pic.twitter.com/Ab7FCT2jKz
– Quds News Network (@qudsn) December 11, 2023
Palestine
The comprehensive strike covered all aspects of life in the West Bank. Syndicates, federations, banks, Palestinian factions, and companies announced on Sunday in separate statements that they were joining the general strike.
Transportation movement was paralyzed in all governorates of the West Bank, institutions, banks, schools, universities, ministries, and shops were closed, and the trading session on the local stock exchange was suspended today.
In a previous statement, the Palestinian forces and factions called for taking to the streets and squares of cities, villages and camps, to express the unity of blood and destiny and a victory for the defenseless innocents, and to send a message to the world that the Palestinian people will stand strongly against attempts of uprooting and displacement, and that the legitimate struggle will continue until freedom and independence are achieved.
Jordan
The call for a strike witnessed widespread interaction among many private sectors in Jordan, and there was a clear response with the strike in the capital, Amman, and a number of other governorates and Palestinian refugee camps, where large numbers of shops closed their doors, and banners were hung indicating their strike for the sake of the Gaza Strip, as a number of people announced. Many private companies participated in the strike and their employees were not working.
The noticeable decline in traffic and the number of students heading to schools and universities demonstrated the level of response to the strike, while the hashtag “comprehensive strike” topped the list of most popular hashtags on the X platform in Jordan.
Activists monitored pictures of some of the Kingdom’s streets and the courtyards of private and public universities, which were almost empty.
Large participation in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and the city of Ma’an, in the general strike in solidarity with Gaza and denouncing the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Strip.#Gaza_War #video pic.twitter.com/EhTFvEC43L
– Tel Aviv Tribune Palestine (@AJA_Palestine) December 11, 2023
Mauritania
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Mauritania announced the postponement of all lessons and tests scheduled for Monday, in order to participate in activities that will be organized in solidarity with the Gaza Strip.
The General Union of Mauritanian Students and the Mauritanian Student Gathering in Support of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa called on the students of the University of Nouakchott to participate in the comprehensive strike in order to stop the genocide committed by the Israeli occupation army against the residents of the Gaza Strip.
A group of Mauritanian civil society organizations also called for participation in the strike to protest the continued Israeli aggression.
From Mauritania with the comprehensive global strike to stop the brutal aggression against Gaza #Monday
12/11/2023#Comprehensive_strike#StrikeForGaza pic.twitter.com/OH7JxF2MZy– Esraa Alshikh Esraa Al-Sheikh (@Esralshikh) December 10, 2023
Türkiye
Many shops, markets and restaurants were closed in some Turkish states in response to calls for a strike in solidarity with the Gaza Strip. Several private schools and educational institutes also announced the suspension of their work today, denouncing the Israeli massacres in the Gaza Strip.
Shops and markets in some Turkish states participate in a strike in response to calls for solidarity with the Gaza Strip#Gaza_War #video pic.twitter.com/4ZoZUHaC3h
– Tel Aviv Tribune Palestine (@AJA_Palestine) December 11, 2023
Several other countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, Iraq, and European countries, also witnessed individual participation in the strike by some activists and owners of private companies and shops, which announced the closure of their doors and the suspension of their services for this day in solidarity with Gaza.
Since last October 7, the Israeli occupation army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, leaving about 18,000 martyrs and about 47,000 wounded, most of them children and women, in addition to thousands still under the rubble believed to have been martyred, and massive destruction of infrastructure. An unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.