By Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte
ROME (Reuters) – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanded safety ensures on Tuesday for all her nation’s troops deployed in Lebanon, the place U.N. peacekeepers have come underneath fireplace through the battle between Israel and Hezbollah.
Italy has troops deployed within the U.N. peacekeeping mission referred to as UNIFIL and in a separate mission referred to as MIBIL which trains native armed forces. There are over 1,000 Italian troops within the United Nations Interim Pressure in Lebanon.
The U.N. Safety Council expressed concern on Monday after a number of U.N. peacekeeping positions got here underneath fireplace in southern Lebanon and urged all events – with out naming them – to respect the security and safety of UNIFIL personnel and premises.
“We believe that the attitude of the Israeli forces is completely unjustified,” Meloni mentioned, describing it as a “blatant violation” a U.N. decision on ending hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
In an deal with to Italy’s Senate, she mentioned Israel’s actions weren’t acceptable and that she had expressed this place to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Requested whether or not she was contemplating a visit to Lebanon, Meloni advised reporters: “Yes.”
Netanyahu has denied Israeli troops intentionally focused UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon and desires the peacekeepers withdrawn from fight zones.
Italy has protested to Israel and joined allies in condemning the assaults on the peacekeepers.
Meloni mentioned Hezbollah had additionally violated the U.N. decision and sought “to militarise the area under UNIFIL’s jurisdiction,” including that Italy wished to strengthen the capabilities of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
She additionally mentioned Rome had not forgotten the assault by Hamas militants on Israeli communities on Oct. 7 final 12 months that sparked the Israel-Hamas warfare within the Gaza Strip, and that Italy’s ideas have been with the greater than 100 Israeli hostages nonetheless held in Gaza.
