New Delhi: Italy has suspended its defence agreement with Israel, which covered the exchange of military equipment and technology research, Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni and diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.
“Given the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel,” Meloni said at an event in Verona, according to Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI. An Italian diplomatic source confirmed the suspension
to AFP, saying, “It would have been politically difficult to continue.”
Review is done every five years
Let us tell you that this agreement, approved by Israel in 2006, is reviewed every five years. It provides for cooperation in areas including defense industries, education and training of military personnel, research and development and information technology. Tensions between the two countries increased last week when the Italian government accused the Israeli army of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. At least one vehicle was damaged in this incident, but no one was injured, in protest of which Italy summoned the Israeli ambassador.
Israel-Italy tensions
Meanwhile, on Monday, Israel summoned the Italian ambassador following comments by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemning the “unacceptable attacks” by Israeli forces on Lebanese civilians. Deputy Prime Minister Tajani was in Beirut on Monday for talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi. He later wrote on X that he was there to “express Italy’s solidarity following Israel’s unacceptable attacks against the civilian population.”
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