Italy Puts Defense Pact With Israel on Ice, Citing the 'Current Situation'

Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, announced today (Tuesday) that her government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel. Speaking to reporters in Verona, Meloni said, "In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the agreement".

It turns out that yesterday Rome had already conveyed an official message to Israel on the matter, via a letter sent by Italy's defense minister, Guido Crosetto, to Defense Minister Israel Katz. The Foreign Ministry responded to the Italian prime minister's announcement: "We do not have a security agreement with Italy. We have a memorandum of understanding from many years ago that never had any substantive content. This will not harm Israel's security".

The announcement fits into a broader shift in Italy's tone toward Israel. Meloni's government, considered until recently a relatively close ally, has stepped up its criticism in recent weeks. For example, last week Italy's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, revealed that he had spoken with Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun, and expressed solidarity with him in light of "the unjustified and unacceptable attacks".

At the same time, the Foreign Ministry in Rome summoned Israel's ambassador for a conversation. Tajani made it clear that "we want to avoid a situation in which there will be another Gaza". Italy's embassy in Beirut also issued an unusual statement, saying that "striking densely populated areas and sowing death among civilians is a violation of every principle of international humanitarian law".