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giorgia meloni,italy,israel,idf,gaza,lebanon,peacekeeper convoy \u00a9(Photo by Andreas SOLARO \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has suspended the nation\u2019s defense cooperation agreement with Israel amid the war with Iran.<\/p>\n
Meloni spoke outside a wine industry event in Verona Tuesday, where she told reporters the Italian government \u201chas decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel in consideration of the current situation,\u201d according to a Politico report<\/a>.<\/p>\n The defense agreement was first established in 2003. It covers the transfer of military equipment and technology-related research between Italy and Israel\u2019s armed forces, and it is set to automatically renew every five years, Politico reported. (RELATED: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Laughs Off Bizarre Church Art Scandal)<\/a><\/p>\n The development comes amid rising tensions between Italy and Israel<\/a>, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fired warning shots at an Italian peacekeeping convoy in Lebanon on April 8, according to a Politico report<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cA logistics convoy of the Italian contingent, moving from Shama towards Beirut, was subjected to warning shots fired by the IDF about two kilometres from the base of departure,\u201d the Minister of Defense<\/a>, Guido Crosetto, stated April 8. The peacekeepers were with UNIFIL<\/a>, or the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.<\/p>\n Both Spain and Italy have since demanded explanations from Israel following separate incidents in Lebanon<\/a>, including the detention of a Spanish UN peacekeeper.<\/p>\n No troops were reported injured, but Italy responded sharply.<\/p>\n Meloni slammed the incident as \u201ccompletely unacceptable,\u201d and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called Israel\u2019s ambassador to Rome \u2014 the third time since 2024, Politico reported. (RELATED: Watch Pro-Palestine Protesters Fight Cops As Strikes Hit Multiple Italian Cities)<\/a><\/p>\n Crosetto said April 8 that Italy \u201cdemands full respect for the role of UNIFIL.\u201d<\/p>\n Jurists in Italy have urged<\/a> the country to end its defense agreement with Israel, citing legal and ethical concerns, The Jerusalem Post reported in May 2025.<\/p>\n Italy\u2019s government has mostly supported Israel during the war in Gaza and does not recognize Palestinian statehood, Politico reported, but the conflict involving Iran has pushed Meloni to shift her position.<\/p>\n In an interview with Corriere della Sera<\/a> on Tuesday, President Donald Trump criticized Meloni, saying she was \u201cdifferent from what [he] thought.\u201d He slammed her over Italy\u2019s reluctance to get involved in the Iran war.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,\u201d he said. (RELATED: Key US Allies Give Trump Board Of Peace The Cold Shoulder)<\/a><\/p>\n