Italy suspends defence pact with Israel as Meloni rebukes Trump over pope remarks
Italy has suspended the automatic renewal of its defence co-operation agreement with Israel, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on April 14, in Rome's sharpest signal yet of disapproval over Israeli military operations, while separately rebuking US President Donald Trump for his attacks on Pope Leo XIV.
Meloni made the announcement at the Vinitaly wine fair in Verona, telling reporters that "in light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel." Defence Minister Guido Crosetto had formally communicated the decision to his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, by letter.
The memorandum, originally signed under former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in 2003 and ratified in 2005, provides a framework for bilateral co-operation on defence matters including military equipment exchanges, joint exercises, and research and development in the defence sector. It had been renewed automatically every five years, most recently entering into force on April 13.
Israel's foreign ministry played down the significance of the move. A spokesman said the two countries did not have a security agreement as such, describing the memorandum as one that had "never had any concrete content."
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, also present at Vinitaly, said he agreed with the suspension but told reporters he did not know the reasons behind it.
The decision marks a significant hardening of Italy's stance. Until now Meloni's government had limited itself to condemning specific Israeli actions, including strikes on churches and attacks on Italian soldiers serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, while defending the memorandum itself against repeated opposition calls for its suspension. The diplomatic temperature had risen further in recent days after Italy's ambassador to Tel Aviv was summoned by the Israeli foreign ministry in protest at remarks by Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, who had condemned Israeli raids that have caused thousands of casualties in Lebanon since early March.
Italy's growing discomfort with Israeli military operations has been building for months. In September, Meloni told the United Nations that Israeli actions had crossed a line, "violating humanitarian norms, causing a slaughter of civilians," and signalled Rome's support for some European Union sanctions against Israel. During the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, Italy refused to allow American combat aircraft to use its Sigonella base in Sicily for missions to the Middle East.
Meloni used the Verona platform to address several other live political controversies. On Trump's social media broadside against Pope Leo XIV — in which the US president called the pontiff "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," suggested he had been elected only because he was American, and told him to "get his act together" and "stop catering to the Radical Left" — Meloni, long regarded as a darling of the US leader, was unequivocal. "What I said is what I think: the statements about the pontiff were unacceptable. I express my solidarity with Pope Leo," she said.
Meloni also urged caution over recent calls by Eni chief executive Claudio Descalzi to resume purchasing Russian gas, acknowledging his commercial logic but arguing that economic pressure on the Kremlin remained "the most effective weapon we have for building peace." She expressed hope that the question would be moot by January 2027, when existing energy contracts expire, if progress had been made towards ending the war in Ukraine.
She also called for continued international efforts to advance peace negotiations to stabilise the situation in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Italy halts Israel defence agreement renewal, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says
Rome froze its defence deal with Israel on Tuesday after an incident in Lebanon involving a UN peacekeepers convoy and sharp criticism from Antonio Tajani over attacks on Lebanese civilians in Israel's ongoing war against Hezbollah.
Italy has suspended the automatic renewal of its defence agreement with Israel, which involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on 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.
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 warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon in its ongoing war with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
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 on 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."
Israel dismissed the decision, saying Rome's move would not have any impact on its security.
"We have no security agreement with Italy. We have a memorandum of understanding from many years ago that has never contained any substantive content. This will not affect Israel's security," foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein told the AFP news agency.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump criticised Meloni, a political ally, in an interview published on Tuesday for her unwillingness to help in the Iran war.
"I'm shocked at her. I thought she had courage but I was wrong," he told Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
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