Italy's government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of a defence cooperation deal with Israel, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday, citing the conflicts in the Middle East. Ms Meloni's right-wing government has been one of Israel's closest allies in Europe, but in recent weeks it has criticised Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which have affected Italian troops serving there under a U.N. mandate.
“In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,” Ms Meloni was quoted as saying by Italian news agencies. A defence ministry source said one of the consequences is that Italy will no longer cooperate with Israel on military training.
Ms Meloni took the decision on Monday with her foreign and defence ministers, Antonio Tajani and Guido Crosetto, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A spokesperson for Israel's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Speaking in Verona, Ms Meloni also offered a rare and cautious rebuke of ally Donald Trump’s recent comments about Pope Leo XIV, saying she found the criticism “unacceptable”. Trump called the pontiff “weak” and “terrible” after he criticised the president’s comments threatening to destroy “a whole civilisation” unless Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz.
Ms Meloni, balancing both sides, said: “I have expressed and continue to express my solidarity with Pope Leo. Moreover, I frankly would not feel comfortable in a society where religious leaders do what political leaders say. Not in this part of the world.” She also stressed the importance of pressing on with peace negotiations to end the war between the United States and Iran, and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
