Italy Will Recognize Palestine Only After Hostage Release And Hamas Exclusion

(MENAFN- Khaama Press) Italy will recognise Palestine only if Israeli hostages are released and Hamas excluded from future governance, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said at the UN.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has declared that Italy will only recognise Palestine if all Israeli hostages are released and Hamas is excluded from any future government.

Speaking in New York on September 23, during the UN General Assembly, Meloni clarified that Italy is not opposed in principle to Palestinian statehood but insisted that“priorities must be set correctly.”

She argued that international pressure should focus on Hamas rather than Israel, saying the group bears responsibility for starting the conflict and prolonging it by holding hostages.

Meloni, who heads a right-wing, pro-Israel government in the European Union, noted that Italy has chosen not to follow Britain, Canada, and France in recognising Palestine this month.

Her remarks come as more than 150 of the UN's 193 member states have already recognised Palestine as an independent nation, highlighting Italy's divergence from much of the international community.

Analysts suggest that Meloni's position reflects Italy's alignment with Israel and its close ties to Washington's policy approach, both of which shape Rome's stance on the issue.

Observers warn that by attaching conditions to recognition, Italy risks complicating European unity on Palestine and reinforcing divisions within the broader international community over the way forward.

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