Gaza: “Silence makes you complicit,” denounces Senator Akli Mellouli
- To understand Akli Mellouli’s position on the situation in Gaza.
- To explore his political journey and his commitments against racism.
- To discover his thoughts on the left and solidarity with Palestine.
In an interview with Oumma, Akli Mellouli, senator from Val-de-Marne elected in 2023, member of the Ecologist – Solidarity and Territories group and vice-president of the Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces Committee, defends a united left and denounces the trivialization of racism. Particularly moved when he talks about Gaza, he calls for sanctions against the Israeli government.
Break with the PS: a fight for recognition and against discrimination
His political career sheds light on his commitments. A long-time socialist activist, Akli Mellouli explains his break with the PS by the obstacles encountered in obtaining an investiture and by what he describes as ostracism towards diversity. After hearing, in 2017 and then in 2023, that his turn had not come, he decided to run without the approval of the party. “Who decides the turn? », he asks. Beyond his victory, he intends to show that it is possible to take control of his political future.
Defining himself as “a child of invisible wounds”, the senator links his commitment to his family history, the legacies of colonization and his working-class origins. He underlines the importance of outstretched hands which allow one to feel recognized. Faced with racism, his criticism particularly targets those who accompany it, normalize it and transform it into a social project.
Mélenchon, a partner on the left
On the balance of power on the left, his position is unambiguous: Jean-Luc Mélenchon is a partner. Mellouli distinguishes between competitors on the left, adversaries on the right and the National Rally, which he considers an enemy of democracy and the Republic. Recalling the alliances of Nupes and the New Popular Front, he calls for overcoming disagreements. He affirms that he would vote without hesitation for Mélenchon in the second round against the RN, and could support him from the first if the environmentalists validated this choice, while reaffirming his loyalty to Marine Tondelier.
Immigration and Algeria: refusing scapegoats
The senator also denounces the place occupied by immigration and identity in the public debate. According to him, these themes distract attention from the concrete responses expected, particularly on housing. He recalls the role of immigrant workers in essential services and accuses certain media of trivializing discourse of exclusion.
Asked about “Algerophobia”, he believes that Algeria is being made into an imaginary enemy. He pleads for recognition of colonial history and diplomacy based on dialogue and reciprocal interests.
Gaza: the refusal of certain political leaders to speak of genocide
The most intense moment of the interview concerns Gaza. Referring to his trip to the Rafah border and the testimonies collected in February 2024, Mellouli reveals strong emotion. Asked about the refusal of certain political leaders to use the word “genocide”, he denounces the silence and complicity: “History will judge them”, he asserts. He calls for sanctions against the Israeli government. In his eyes, diplomatic recognition is not enough: international law must produce concrete effects.
Finally, he presents Palestine as a universal cause of justice, going beyond religious affiliations. The solidarity it arouses refers, according to him, to experiences of discrimination and humiliation. It is also by this yardstick that he judges the coherence of the left: defending human dignity requires refusing to allow it to be violated by others.
