Italy pauses defence pact with Israel amid rising tensions

Italy has moved to suspend a long-standing defence agreement with Israel, signalling a shift in tone from one of Israel’s closest European partners as tensions rise over the war in the region.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed the decision on Tuesday, saying the government would halt the deal’s automatic renewal.

“In view of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,” Meloni said.

The agreement, originally approved in 2006, has been routinely renewed every five years and covers a broad range of cooperation, from military technology and industrial partnerships to training and research.

The suspension does not come out of nowhere. Italy’s government, while generally aligned with Israel, has in recent weeks become more openly critical of Israeli military actions, particularly in Lebanon.

Relations have deteriorated quickly over the past week. Rome accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian peacekeepers in Lebanon — an incident that damaged a vehicle but caused no injuries. In response, Italy summoned Israel’s ambassador in protest.

The diplomatic tension has been moving in both directions. On Monday, Israel summoned Italy’s ambassador after comments by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who condemned what he described as “unacceptable attacks” on Lebanese civilians.

Tajani, who also serves as deputy prime minister, had been in Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials and later wrote that his visit was meant to “convey Italy’s solidarity following Israel’s unacceptable attacks against the civilian population”.

So far, there has been no immediate public response from the Israeli government to Italy’s decision to suspend the defence pact.

The move reflects a broader recalibration rather than a full rupture. Italy is not breaking ties, but it is drawing a line — using a technical mechanism, the suspension of an automatic renewal, to register political disapproval without escalating into a complete breakdown of relations.