Italy suspends defence agreement with Israel

Rome: Italy has suspended its defence agreement with Israel, which involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and diplomatic sources said Tuesday.

“In view of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,” Meloni said on the sidelines of an event in Verona, according to Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI.

An Italian diplomatic source confirmed to AFP that the agreement had been suspended, saying: “It would have been politically difficult to keep it going.”

Approved by Israel in 2006, the agreement is reviewed every five years.

It calls for cooperation across defence industries, education and training of military personnel, research and development and information technology, among others.

Tensions between the two countries have risen over the past week after the Italian government accused Israeli forces of firing shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

Italy summoned Israel’s ambassador in protest over the incident that damaged at least one vehicle but caused no injuries.

On Monday, Israel summoned Italy’s ambassador following comments by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani that condemned “unacceptable attacks” on Lebanese civilians by Israeli forces.

Tajani, who is deputy prime minister, was in Beirut Monday for talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi.

He later wrote on X that he was there to “convey Italy’s solidarity following Israel’s unacceptable attacks against the civilian population”.