Italy’s foreign minister called Israeli bombardments of civilians “unacceptable” during a visit to Beirut, triggering a formal diplomatic protest from Tel Aviv.
Israel summoned Italy’s ambassador to Tel Aviv on 13 April after Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani described Israeli bombardments of civilians in Lebanon as “unacceptable”, in a diplomatic incident that reflects deepening tensions between Rome and Jerusalem over the ongoing conflict.
Ambassador Luca Ferrari was summoned for protest by the Israeli Foreign Ministry following a post on X in which Tajani, visiting Beirut, condemned Israeli strikes that have caused more than 2,000 deaths and 6,700 injuries in Lebanon since 2 March.
Writing alongside a photograph taken with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Tajani stated: “Lebanon is a brotherly country that we hold dear. That is why I have come to Beirut to bring President Aoun Italy’s solidarity following Israel’s unacceptable attacks against the civilian population.”
Ferrari was received by Yossi Amrani, director general of political affairs at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, in a mirror image of the previous week’s move by Rome, when Italy’s ambassador-level official had herself summoned the Israeli ambassador to the Farnesina to request clarification over Israeli military fire on Italian Unifil vehicles in southern Lebanon.
The incident is the latest in a series of friction points between the two countries. An Italian Lince armoured vehicle was struck by Israeli warning shots while part of a convoy leaving the base at Shama bound for Beirut, forcing the column to turn back. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described it as “completely unacceptable that personnel deployed under the UN flag should be put at risk by irresponsible actions in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.”
Despite the diplomatic friction, Tajani’s visit to Beirut was framed as an effort to keep dialogue open. He said he had spoken by phone with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, raising the safety of Italian Unifil troops as a priority, and offered Italy as a potential host for future peace negotiations. He also committed to pressing Iranian authorities to stop Hezbollah from continuing to fire missiles into Israel.
Italy’s position in Lebanon goes beyond diplomacy. Rome has committed a humanitarian package of 10 million euros and sent over 40 tonnes of aid, while continuing to support the training of Lebanese armed forces and backing efforts to disarm militias including Hezbollah.
The broader regional context has added urgency to Italy’s engagement. The conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel that began in late February has drawn in the wider Gulf, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz adding an economic dimension to the crisis. Tajani explicitly linked the Lebanon situation to the wider picture, warning against any further escalation that could “jeopardise the truce in Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
The summoning of Ambassador Ferrari marks the third time Italy has been drawn into formal diplomatic protest over the Lebanese conflict, underlining the strain that the war is placing on a bilateral relationship that both governments have historically sought to manage carefully.
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