Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday that Italy wants Israel to act as a “positive player” in the Middle East peace process, and she expressed hope that internal political debate in Israel would not undermine the diplomatic path the United States has started. Her remarks were widely read as an indirect reference to the possibility that continued fighting could also be driven by domestic political considerations.
Meloni said, “We hope that the internal debate, also driven by the election campaign, does not put at risk the difficult path that the United States has begun.” She made the comments amid criticism of the war and the broader regional conflict, and against a backdrop of worsening relations between Rome and Jerusalem and rising European criticism of the fighting.
The statement came shortly after a highly publicized meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the G7 summit, where both tried to show reconciliation after weeks of visible tension. During that encounter, European Council President Antonio Costa joked, “So you are friends again,” and Meloni replied, “We have always been friends.”
The Trump-Meloni tensions have grown in recent months over disputes related to the war in the Middle East and its consequences for Europe. In Italy, public criticism of the war and its economic impact has increased, especially over higher energy prices and concern about damage to the Italian economy. Israeli military activity in different arenas, and its association with U.S. policy, have also become increasingly sensitive political issues in Italy ahead of elections expected next year. Meloni, once seen as one of Trump’s closest allies and a strong backer of Israel in Europe, has recently adopted a more critical tone toward Jerusalem on several issues.
