“In view of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on the sidelines of an event in Verona, according to Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI.
The decision follows the Italian government’s accusation that Israeli forces had fired warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. In response, Italy summoned Israel’s ambassador in protest over the incident that damaged at least one vehicle but caused no injuries.
Approved by Israel in 2006, the agreement is reviewed every five years. It calls for cooperation across defense industries, education and training of military personnel, research and development and information technology, among others.
