Italy has suspended a defence agreement with Israel that involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research, according to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“In view of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,” Meloni said on Tuesday on the sidelines of an event in Verona, according to the Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI.
Approved by Israel in 2006, the agreement is renewed automatically every five years. It calls for cooperation across defence industries, education and training of military personnel, research and development, and information technology.
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.
Why draw line at Lebanon? Genocide is fine, bombing all around is fine, but Lebanon? We can’t have that? Or is it the bombing that was near Italian troops?
Because it’s political suicide for her to support Israel now. If it wasn’t, she would still support them.
That’s how politics work. Just take the win.
Probably some of the reasons other commenters mentioned, but also it’s a lot easier to not extend an agreement than to cancel it.
Israel is just getting less and less popular without being stopped. It’s not that Lebanon is worse than the genocide or settlers. It’s just the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
It’s probably simpler than that: anti-Zionism is very common in Italy and this is a cheap way for Meloni to get popular support.
I think it is this. Didn’t her government just recently lose a relatively simple referendum vote? Like @Damage said in their comment, anti-semetism is also popular among her base, it’ll help shore them up.
edit: Here we are. 60% voter turnout (with 54% voting against her supported position) is actually kind of crazy.
And anti-Semitism is popular among the fascists, so it’s a wonder it took so long
Probably because of UNIFIL yeah