Italy suspends defense deal with Israel

Italy suspends defense accord with Israel amid growing tensions over Lebanon campaign.

By World Israel News Staff

Italy has suspended the automatic renewal of its defense cooperation agreement with Israel, marking one of the sharpest policy moves yet by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government against Jerusalem since the latest war with Iran and reignited conflict with Hezbollah.

Meloni said Tuesday that Rome had decided to halt the renewal “in light of the current situation,” speaking on the sidelines of the Vinitaly event in Verona.

The agreement set a framework for defense cooperation between the two countries, including military materials, technology research, training, and broader ties between defense industries.

The arrangement was originally approved by Israel in 2006 and has hitherto been renewed every five years.

One immediate consequence of the suspension is that Italy will no longer cooperate with Israel on military training.

Italian media outlets reported that Meloni made the decision on Monday together with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.

Crosetto informed Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz of the move ahead of time in a formal letter.

The decision follows days of increasingly sharp Italian criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon.

Last week, Italy summoned Israel’s ambassador after warning shots struck an Italian UNIFIL convoy in southern Lebanon, damaging a vehicle but causing no injuries.

Italian officials have also condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon more broadly.

Tajani slammed Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah terrorists as “unjustified and unacceptable.”

Tuesday’s announcement highlights an ongoing shift in relations between Israel and Meloni’s right-wing government, which had once been regarded as one of Israel’s closest partners in Europe.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry downplayed Meloni’s announcement, arguing that the defense agreement Meloni suspended has little practical significance.

“We do not have a ‘defense agreement’ with them. This is a memorandum of understanding from many years ago that never had any real substance. It will not harm Israel’s security,” the Foreign Ministry said.