During the MED9 Summit in Slovenia, one of the working sessions was dedicated to the Middle East, in the presence of King Abdullah II of Jordan, whom Minister Antonio Tajani thanked for his important work promoting peace in the region.
While recalling the upcoming visit to Italy by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (7 November) and Italy’s continued support for the “Two Peoples, Two States” solution, as a long-term vision for stability in the Middle East, the Foreign Minister underlined: “We want to turn the ceasefire and the first phase of the Trump Plan into peace.”
He emphasized Italy’s commitment along the three lines of reconstruction, stabilization, and training of the future Palestinian leadership. With specific reference to reconstruction, Minister Tajani recalled the presence today of an Italian technical mission – with all branches of the State – to conduct a reconnaissance mission in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and then Jordan to assess the priority areas for intervention.
With regard to the stabilization of the Gaza Strip, the Minister reaffirmed Italy’s willingness to consider the possibility of strengthening the Carabinieri presence at the Rafah crossing and in Jericho, emphasizing Italy’s readiness to play its part in ensuring security within the international and UN frameworks that will be defined. As to training, the Foreign Minister highlighted the resumption of university corridors, announcing the arrival in Italy – this Thursday – of additional university students, accompanied by the Minister of Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini.
The Minister thanked Jordan and Egypt, with whom Italy is working closely in its comprehensive action for Gaza. Italy will contribute to the organization of the next Recovery Conference in Cairo, involving its private sector, following up the Rome Ukraine Recovery Conference held in Rome last July.
Minister Tajani has confirmed that Italy is, and will remain, at the forefront of humanitarian action, which is intensifying its pace (especially in the food and healthcare sectors). In this context, Italy also supports the humanitarian maritime corridor activated last year by Cyprus.
