Italy's Meloni halts defense pact with Israel

[riversedge]

Source: Politico



The prime minister pointed to “the current situation” in the Middle East as justification for her government’s decision.


Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addresses the Italian Senate for an update on Government action at Palazzo Madama in Rome on April 9, 2026. | Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

April 14, 2026 2:39 pm CET By Hannah Roberts

ROME — Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has suspended Italy's defense cooperation agreement with Israel as she continues to distance her government from the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran that has enveloped the Middle East.

Speaking on the fringes of a wine industry event in the northern city of Verona on Tuesday, Meloni told reporters her government "has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel in consideration of the current situation."

The 2003 deal concerns the exchange of military material and technological research between the two armed forces and automatically renews every 5 years. Human rights lawyers have urged Italy to end the agreement, citing legal and ethical concerns over Israel's strikes in Gaza.


The move comes amid rising tensions between Italy and Israel, after Israel Defense Forces fired warning shots at an Italian peacekeeping convoy outside Beirut, Lebanon on
April 8..............................................

Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/italy-halts-renewal-defense-pact-israel/

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[Scrivener7]

1. Good. Israel must be shunned by the international community. Just as we must.

[JBTaurus83]

2. Israel's support in Europe is over

Now that Orban is out, there will be no one to block oversight from the EU.

[BattleRow]

3. Bigly difference between Meloni and Melonia...

[Chasstev365]

4. Good for Italy! When Bibi is out and in prison, reboot the relationship, just like when Trump is gone.

[BeneteauBum]

5. BiBi even more isolated

Does he realize the buildup of animus that he is creating in the international community…..just like the orange creature?

Peace ☮️

[leftstreet]

6. DURec

[Exp]

7. Good! Israel must PAY for what they've done: stealing land, murdering civilians, bulldozing homes and farms for the

last 50 years.

[Buddyzbuddy]

8. Bea...u...ti...ful.

[BidenRocks]

9. Wait for it...

If you don't support Israel you are anti-Semitic!

Like chump blasting everyone, including the Pope, who doesn't support his insanity and bloodlust!

I'm old and still find the conflation of Israeli support and Semetism hard to understand.
Where does anti-Semetic start? I refuse to just go along as we all have been doing.

Where is the line? For years I didn't care. Now it's pushed in our faces due to war!

STOP KILLING!

[JBTaurus83]

11. Apparently many Israelis are anti-semitic

About 200,000 have moved out of the country since the start of the genocide in Gaza and sited the countries’ own policies as the reason for leaving.

[thomski64]

12. Good, the rest should leave Palestine!!

[patphil]

10. Over 70,000 killed in Gaza, over 3500 killed in Iran, and now over 2100 killed in Lebanon.

I'd say it's about time Italy took action.
Any other nation with a defense agreement with Israel should do the same.
Of course, the United States government is still marching to Israel's tune and will be while Trump is in power.
We have to dump him before he brings the whole region into war.

[thomski64]

13. U. S. of Aipac...

[Prairie Gates]

14. Literally, there will be a revolt and vote of no confidence if she doesn't

She is getting absolutely shellacked even with the FDI center-right supermajority. The coalition will fall apart.

Absolutely viral speech in Italy right now:

https://youtube.com/shorts/Vk5rb-FOLkc?si=arI9GOtLQgy3VWyD

[LiberalLovinLug]

15. I'm glad the fears that Meloni would be a far right MAGA leader didn't come to pass