“Italy is in favour of the two-peoples-two-states solution, but the recognition of the new Palestinian state must take place at the same time as their recognition of the state of Israel,” Tajani said at a meeting of the national council of his Forza Italia (FI) party.
“We are interested in peace, not in the victory of one side over the other,” he continued.
“We are the country that has taken in the largest number of refugees from Gaza.”
The minister also reiterated Italy’s condemnation of Israel’s strikes on Gaza and its restrictions on the entry of aid into the enclave, and again called for a ceasefire in the war against Hamas.
“We can no longer accept carnage and famine,” Tajani said, “The time has come for an immediate ceasefire. We are friends of Israel, but we have told Israel [this].”
The opposition, centre-left Democratic Party (PD) took issue with Tajani’s reasons for not recognising the state of Palestine.
“Does our Foreign Minister know what he’s talking about?” said Giuseppe Provenzano, the PD’s foreign affairs chief.
“He says we need recognition of Israel. Aside from the fact that Italy recognised it in 1949, Palestine, along with the PLO, also recognised Israel in 1993, with the Oslo Accords.
“It is Israel that must recognise Palestine, ending the illegal occupation of its territories.
“It was Netanyahu who scuppered those agreements, and he claims responsibility for it.
“So, saying now that we need ‘mutual recognition’ means waiting for the criminal Netanyahu to decide, which means never.
“You can choose to be on the wrong side of history, but you can’t rewrite it with hypocrisy and lies. All of this is unacceptable.”
ANSA
