Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, announced their readiness to send soldiers to the United Nations (UN) for the construction of a Palestinian state recognized by both Israel and the international community.

Speaking to the Avvenire newspaper about international issues, Tajani assessed the situation following the killing of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike on September 27th. He stated, “Unfortunately, the risk of increasing tension seems stable at the moment. Today, we are working harder than ever for a ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza.” Tajani mentioned that he remains in constant contact with the embassies in Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Tehran, ready to evacuate Italian citizens when necessary. He urged everyone to leave as soon as possible while acknowledging that diplomatic efforts to reduce tension continue even though the situation remains delicate.

When asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the UN, Tajani expressed disagreement, stating, “Israel has the right to self-defense, and this crisis began with the attack on October 7th. However, a significant reaction was triggered later due to the loss of thousands of Palestinian civilians.” Tajani highlighted the differing administrations in Gaza and the West Bank, emphasizing that there is not a single unified leadership in Palestine. He mentioned, “Our goal is to facilitate this unity, perhaps for a limited period under an Arab-led UN mission supported by the Palestinian leadership. We are ready to send our troops alongside the UN for the establishment of a Palestinian state recognized by Israel.”

Tajani noted that recognizing Palestine should be a serious choice for building peace in Israel. Additionally, he shared that he had a lengthy phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz the previous evening on the X platform, reiterating the need to ensure the safety of Italian troops in Lebanon, which Katz positively received. Tajani also expressed concern for civilians in Lebanon, noting the high number of innocent casualties.