US EditionItaly suspends defense cooperation deal with Israel
The pact covered military equipment, training and research, and Rome acted after criticism over Israeli strikes that endangered Italian peacekeepers.
- On Tuesday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the suspension of the automatic renewal of a defense agreement with Israel, citing the current geopolitical climate.
- This diplomatic move arrives amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, with Meloni signaling a cautious Italian stance in response to regional conflicts.
- During a press briefing at the Vinitaly event in Verona, Meloni addressed international developments, stressing the need to stabilize the Strait of Hormuz for vital fuel and fertilizer supplies.
- Meloni described the United States as a strategic ally but labeled recent remarks by President Donald Trump about Pope Leo as 'unacceptable,' stressing that allies must voice disagreements.
- Regarding Russia, Meloni maintained that economic pressure remains the most effective weapon for building peace, expressing hope for progress by early 2027.
141 Articles
141 Articles
Rome halts Israel Military Pact, amid calls to cut Ties
By Stephen Prager ( Commondreams.org ) – The Italian government has suspended a military cooperation agreement with Israel in response to its attacks against Lebanon in recent weeks, which have killed hundreds of people. Italy’s right-wing prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, announced on Tuesday that it was suspending an agreement with Israel that dates back to 2003 and involved cooperation between the two countries, which traded military equipment …
The relations between Israel and the Italian government of Giorgia Meloni, yet one of the safest allies of the Hebrew state in Europe, have suddenly become tense in recent weeks. These tensions have been triggered by the firings in Lebanon by Italian soldiers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Final). Italy has in fact announced on Monday 13 April that it is putting an end to the defence agreement linking it with Israel.
Subscribed in Paris on 16 June 2003 by the then defense ministers Antonio Martino and Sahul Mofaz, the act was born in the context of the revival of relations between the two countries
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