‘Israel’ dismisses Italy decision to suspend defense deal
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‘Israel’ on Tuesday dismissed Italy's decision to suspend a defence agreement between the two countries, 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 AFP.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said earlier on Tuesday that her country suspended the automatic renewal of a defense cooperation agreement with ‘Israel’, citing ongoing wars in the Middle East.
The decision marks a notable shift for Meloni’s government, which has been among ‘Israel’s’ closest European allies.
“In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with ‘Israel’,” Meloni said in remarks reported by Italian media during a visit to Verona.
In recent weeks, Rome has voiced increasing criticism of ‘Israeli’ military operations in Lebanon, particularly after incidents affecting Italian troops deployed under a United Nations mandate.
The suspension reflects growing unease in parts of Europe over the regional escalation and its impact on international forces.
