Italy Suspends Defense Agreement with Israel, Foreign Policy Shifts

(Central News Agency, Rome, 14th, comprehensive foreign report) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said today that her government has suspended a defense cooperation agreement with Israel. This move reflects a rift in the relationship between the two former close allies as the Middle East conflict continues.

Meloni's right-wing government has been one of Israel's closest friends in Europe, but in recent weeks, the government has criticized Israel's attacks on Lebanon; these attacks have caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.

Last week, Israel also fired warning shots at Italian troops on a UN mission in Lebanon, damaging a vehicle.

Meloni told reporters on the sidelines of a wine exhibition in Verona, northern Italy: "When something happens that we don't agree with, we act accordingly."

She added: "Given the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel."

Meloni's statement marks another diplomatic adjustment by her right-wing government. Just a day earlier, she had criticized another close ally, US President Trump, for his criticism of Pope Leo XIV.

Sources familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity, revealed that Meloni made this decision yesterday with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.

Israel's Foreign Ministry downplayed the impact of the move.

The ministry stated: "We do not have a security agreement with Italy. We only have a memorandum of understanding signed many years ago that never contained substantive content. This will not affect Israel's security."

●Meloni changes strategy

Meloni took office in 2022 and will face elections at the end of 2027.

Lorenzo Castellani, a political historian at Luiss University in Rome, told Reuters: "This is a repositioning."

He added: "She is concerned that a large part of the electorate, even center-right voters, will become extremely disgusted with Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, and the economic impact of this war against Iran."

Italy's opposition parties have long called for an end to the agreement with Israel.

The memorandum was signed in 2003 by the then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government and officially came into effect in 2006. It is automatically renewed every five years unless one party withdraws.

The agreement covers areas such as procurement, training, and "import, export, and transit of defense and military equipment." (Compiled by Zheng Shiyun) 1150415

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