'Netanyahu reassured Tajani on UNIFIL' - FM

Foreign min. calls for 'Lebanon buffer zone with more UNIFIL'

By: ansa.it

Oct 21 2024
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'Netanyahu reassured Tajani on

Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Monday met in Jerusalem with Israeli Premier Benyamin Netanyahu who reassured him about Israeli operations in southern Lebanon around UNIFIL positions, Italian foreign ministry sources said.
    Tajani called for a ceasefire both in Gaza and in Lebanon, the sources said. Tajani said Netanyahu and his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz carefully listened to "our solution for Lebanon" - "strengthening the Lebanese army that is already trained by the Italian contingent at the port of Beirut, the election of the Lebanese president of the republic and the creation of a UNIFIL buffer zone with more men and more power and different rules of engagement between the border and the river, and further north regular Lebanese troops and even further Hezbollah", after meeting with the two cabinet members.
    He also said he was reassured by Netanyahu and Katz that "Israel will do everything to guarantee the safety of our UNIFIL military", adding that he was "guaranteed that there was never any decision by Israeli authorities against UNIFIL".
    Netanyahu for his part confirmed that the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was an important result for Israel, although it is not clear when military operations can end.
    Tajani stressed during talks with his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz in Jerusalem the "need to ensure utmost protection to the Italian UNIFIL contingent".
    "Italy's commitment for de-escalation continues: the objective is peace in the Middle East.
    "The ceasefire and release of hostages remain priorities", Tajani wrote on X.
    During his meeting with Katz, foreign ministry sources said Tajani stressed the Italian government's support for the release of hostages still held by Hamas, noting however that, after the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza, "the time has come to reopen the road to politics and diplomacy", adding he has "asked the Israeli government to accelerate and help the entry of humanitarian aid in Gaza".
    The foreign minister is undertaking a mission to Israel and the Palestinian Territories where he also met with Palestinian Premier Mohammad Mustafa.
    During the meeting with Mustafa, Tajani wrote on X he had stressed that Italy is continuing to work for a two-State solution and to boost aid for the civilian population in Gaza and in the West Bank also in the framework of the humanitarian conference that will open the G7 ministerial meeting on development in Pescara on Tuesday.