The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloniwho yesterday led a migration counter-summit on the sidelines of the European Council that was being held in Brussels, will travel this Friday to Lebanon. A visit that responds to the escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah, which has led, as he has expressed, in “unjustifiable” attacks even against the UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) deployed in the south of the territory.
Italy has deployed there near 1,000 troops. This is the main contingent of troops in the mission, stationed on the border between Lebanon and Israel. Meloni is expected to travel first to Jordan, where he will meet with King Abdullah II, and then travel to Lebanon to meet in Beirut with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati.
At the same time, the Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, is expected to prepare another visit “next week” to the area to meet with Israeli and Palestinian authorities, Europa Press reports.
“Unacceptable”
In recent days, the Italian Government has not hidden its discomfort at
Israeli attacks on UNIFIL positions, some of them against
facilities with the presence of Italian military. “I don’t think it can
considered acceptable,” said Meloni, who has assured that he has conveyed the same position to his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu.
In the president’s opinion, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have
incurred in a “clear violation” of resolution 1701 of the Security Council
UN Security Council and has “demanded” that the security of the
military. In his speech, Meloni also condemned the existing threats from militia groups against the Israeli State.
The exchange of messages between the two countries has been constant in these
last few days and the IDF confirmed this Tuesday a conversation between
the chief of the Israeli General Staff, Herzi Halevi, and his Italian counterpart,
Luciano Portolano, to talk “about the latest events” and
future “challenges”. Much of Israel’s claims are based on accusing the
Shiite group Hezbollah to “take advantage” of theoretically controlled areas
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