Romana Rubeo 
Israeli news website Walla reported on Saturday that Italy, which is responsible for nearly 5% of Israel’s military procurement, had decided to boycott arms sales in Tel Aviv.
Straw is quoted Italy’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Taggiani said on Friday that Rome “has decided to suspend the shipment of (weapons) systems (to Israel) from October 7 onwards.”
Mr. Wara’s report is Confirmed Other news agencies, including Agenzia Nova, also reported on Saturday.
“Since October 7, the day of Hamas’s military operation and the first day of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, Italy has committed to all forms of The plan was to stop sending weapons to Israel.
Tajani’s comments were a direct response to earlier statements by Ellie Schlein, secretary of the Italian Democratic Party, who called for a boycott of arms.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani responded to Democratic Party leader Elie Schlein, who called for a halt to arms sales to Israel on Friday, saying that since October 7, Italy has “sent no weapons of any kind to Israel.” claimed to have stopped. . pic.twitter.com/hzHvnHRGDi
— Naks Bilal (@NaksBilal) January 20, 2024
Italy’s foreign minister said in an interview with La Nazione, Il Giorno and Il Resto del Carlino that Schlein was “misinformed”.
“It was during the (Antonio) Conte government that more weapons were sent to Israel,” Tajani said.
Citing estimates from Sweden’s SIPRI Institute, Walla said Italy was responsible for 5 percent of Israel’s total arsenal over the past decade.
According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, such procurements include “training new helicopter pilots for the IAF” as well as “30 Alania Irmaki M-346 jet trainers… (and) seven AW119 helicopters from Italy’s Leonardo. ” is included.
“Peacekeeping Force”
Tajani also spoke about the country’s willingness to participate in future peacekeeping forces in the Strip, but stressed that the war must first stop.
“If requested by the UN…Italy could send troops to Gaza as part of a peacekeeping force in the Strip led by Arab countries,” Agenzia Nova quoted Tajani as saying.
8/12 #Italy It supplies the Israeli military with important weapons and equipment currently used on the ground in Gaza. @Antonio_TajaniIsrael’s de facto political support for its actions against the Palestinians reveals complicity in genocide. https://t.co/xiAdpJ2qlF
— Palestinian Law | और देखें November 16, 2023
“In the meantime, we need to end the war and create a provisional government in Gaza under the auspices of the United Nations, a task that, in my opinion, should be led by Arab states. This context If requested, we stand ready to deploy troops for peacekeeping missions.”
Despite this position, Italy has been one of the strongest supporters of Israel in Europe since the start of the war, sharing military intelligence and directly participating in intelligence operations. HeadquartersOther Western governments are also involved in the so-called Gaza Besieged Area.
Vatican says no
Israeli media also reported that the Italian army chief of staff was one of several chiefs of staff invited by the Israeli army in recent days to assess the Gaza war, 100 days after it began.
The debate over an Israeli arms boycott is taking place in the context of the Vatican’s rejection of a €1.5 million donation from Italian arms giant Leonardo to the Bambin Jess Children’s Hospital.
According to Italian media, hospital administrators Rejected The donation was made because it was “inappropriate in this time of war.”
President Leonardo denied sending arms to Israel, but Italian newspaper L’Unita reported: Confirmed That Italian weapons continue to find their way to Israeli forces in Gaza, especially through Leonardo.
(Palestinian Chronicle)
– Romana Rubeo is an Italian writer and editor-in-chief of the Palestine Chronicle. Her articles have been published in many online newspapers and academic journals. She holds a master’s degree in foreign languages and literature and specializes in audiovisual and journalistic translation.