Italy has halted the automatic renewal of its defense agreement with Israel, which includes cooperation on military equipment exchanges and technology research, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and diplomatic sources announced on Tuesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event in Verona, Meloni confirmed the decision, explaining that the government had chosen to suspend the deal’s renewal “in view of the current situation,” according to Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI.
An Italian diplomatic source was quoted as saying by news agency AFP that continuing the agreement would have been “politically difficult.”
The agreement, originally approved by Israel in 2006, is reviewed every five years. It covers collaboration across defense industries, military education and training, research and development, and information technology.
Relations between Italy and Israel have become increasingly strained over the past week. Italy accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, prompting Rome to summon the Israeli ambassador in protest. The incident damaged at least one vehicle but resulted in no injuries.
On Monday, Israel summoned Italy’s ambassador after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned what he called “unacceptable attacks” on Lebanese civilians by Israeli forces. Tajani, who is also deputy prime minister, was in Beirut for talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi. He later posted on X that he was there to express “Italy’s solidarity following Israel’s unacceptable attacks against the civilian population.”
