Schlein says Meloni "belatedly broke her silence" and calls for action to stop Netanyahu as he pushes forward with Gaza takeover plan.Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday said the government is following "with deep concern recent developments related to the decisions taken by the Israeli Government regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank".In a statement, the Italian premier criticised the "decision to proceed with the occupation of Gaza, in response to the inhumane terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023," because "it constitutes a further military escalation that can only worsen the already dramatic humanitarian situation." Furthermore, the statement reads, Italy "condemns Israel's decision to authorise new settlements in the West Bank" which is "contrary to international law and risks definitively compromising the two-state solution and, more generally, any political prospect for achieving a just and lasting peace." The prime minister reiterated calls for a ceasefire and release of hostages as part of an "international effort" to address the humanitarian emergency in Gaza. Pressure from opposition Meloni's remarks followed pressure from the opposition who are demanding that the government take a clear stance on sanctions against Netanyahu and the recognition of the State of Palestine. The statement from Meloni failed to convince Elly Schlein, the leader of the centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) party, who attacked the premier head-on. "Today, Meloni belatedly broke her silence on the occupation of Gaza with words that sound like those of a pundit" - Schlein said - "She didn't need to say that the situation in Gaza is dramatic. What she didn't say, however, is what we expect from the prime minister: what immediate and concrete actions does the Italian government intend to take to stop Netanyahu and his criminal plan, which is proceeding with the full occupation of Gaza after already massacring 60,000 Palestinians." The leader of the Movimento 5 Stelle, Giuseppe Conte, appeared to take aim at Meloni, without naming her directly. "We must remember those who were co-responsible for these crimes, providing political and military cover for this criminal government" - Conte said - "We must remember those who—even in the face of this genocide—continued to look to Netanyahu as an ally.'" Angelo Bonelli, MP for the Green and Left Alliance (AVS) and co-spokesperson for Europa Verde, accused Meloni of issuing "yet another statement that discredits and shames Italy". "Not a mention, not a word about the ethnic cleansing carried out by Netanyahu's fascist government" - Bonelli stated - "Only empty declarations, while Israel kills children, women, and defenceless civilians and razes hospitals and essential infrastructure in Gaza." "Meloni should have the courage to apply sanctions, revoke the military cooperation agreement with Israel, and officially recognise the State of Palestine, but she doesn't" - Bonelli charged - "Faced with a humanitarian tragedy that worsens every day, the Italian government still chooses inaction and silence. Meloni talks about peace, but in reality supports those who bomb civilians. This is unsustainable hypocrisy." Photo credit: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com.

Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday said the government is following "with deep concern recent developments related to the decisions taken by the Israeli Government regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank". In , the Italian premier criticised the "decision to proceed with the occupation of Gaza, in response to the inhumane terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023," because "it constitutes a further military escalation that can only worsen the already dramatic humanitarian situation." Furthermore, the statement reads, Italy "condemns Israel's decision to authorise new settlements in the West Bank" which is "contrary to international law and risks definitively compromising the two-state solution and, more generally, any political prospect for achieving a just and lasting peace." The prime minister reiterated calls for a ceasefire and release of hostages as part of an "international effort" to address the humanitarian emergency in Gaza. Pressure from opposition Meloni's remarks followed pressure from the opposition who are demanding that the government take a clear stance on sanctions against Netanyahu and the recognition of the State of Palestine. The statement from Meloni failed to convince Elly Schlein, the leader of the centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) party, who attacked the premier head-on. "Today, Meloni belatedly broke her silence on the occupation of Gaza with words that sound like those of a pundit" - Schlein said - "She didn't need to say that the situation in Gaza is dramatic. What she didn't say, however, is what we expect from the prime minister: what immediate and concrete actions does the Italian government intend to take to stop Netanyahu and his criminal plan, which is proceeding with the full occupation of Gaza after already massacring 60,000 Palestinians." The leader of the Movimento 5 Stelle, Giuseppe Conte, appeared to take aim at Meloni, without naming her directly. "We must remember those who were co-responsible for these crimes, providing political and military cover for this criminal government" - Conte said - "We must remember those who—even in the face of this genocide—continued to look to Netanyahu as an ally.'" Angelo Bonelli, MP for the Green and Left Alliance (AVS) and co-spokesperson for Europa Verde, accused Meloni of issuing "yet another statement that discredits and shames Italy". "Not a mention, not a word about the ethnic cleansing carried out by Netanyahu's fascist government" - Bonelli stated - "Only empty declarations, while Israel kills children, women, and defenceless civilians and razes hospitals and essential infrastructure in Gaza." "Meloni should have the courage to apply sanctions, revoke the military cooperation agreement with Israel, and officially recognise the State of Palestine, but she doesn't" - Bonelli charged - "Faced with a humanitarian tragedy that worsens every day, the Italian government still chooses inaction and silence. Meloni talks about peace, but in reality supports those who bomb civilians. This is unsustainable hypocrisy." Photo credit: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com.