Italy’s Giorgia Meloni condemns Israel’s seizure of humanitarian ships heading to the Gaza Strip. [Getty]
Italy condemns Israel’s seizure of aid ships bound for Gaza and demands the immediate release of all Italians who have been “unlawfully detained,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said on Thursday.
Israel intercepted the vessels in international waters near Greece late on Wednesday, a move the organizers — Global Sumud Flotilla — called an act of piracy against boats carrying humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave.
Separately, Germany and Italy’s foreign ministries issued a joint statement saying they were following developments with “deep concern”.
The statement, which did not mention Israel by name, called for “full respect of international law” and avoidance of “irresponsible actions,” adding that the two countries were committed to guaranteeing the safety of their citizens.
They did not say how many Italians or Germans had been detained.
Meloni’s right-wing government has been one of Israel’s closest friends in Europe, but in recent weeks it has criticised its attacks on Lebanon, which have killed hundreds and injured thousands.
Earlier this month, it suspended a defence cooperation deal with Israel on account of what was happening the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the United States on Thursday backed ally Israel after it intercepted an aid flotilla headed to Gaza and warned European allies, from whose territory the ships sailed, against support for the “stunt.”
“Consistent with international law, ports constitute internal waters over which coastal states exercise full territorial sovereignty,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said after flotilla organizers said 211 people were detained by Israel, including a Paris city councillor, in international waters off the Greek island of Crete.
“The United States expects all our allies…to take decisive action against this meaningless political stunt by denying port access, docking, departure and refueling to vessels participating in the flotilla,” Pigott said.
“The United States will explore using available tools to impose consequences on those who provide support to this pro-Hamas flotilla and supports our allies’ legal actions against it.”
Spain, whose government is often at loggerheads with US President Donald Trump, strongly condemned the Israeli action against the flotilla, summoning the Israeli charge d’affaires in Madrid.
Israel, which controls all access to the Gaza Strip, denies withholding supplies for the over 2 million residents and called those onboard the flotilla boats “attention-seeking agitators.”
Israel’s military had halted a previous flotilla assembled by the same organisation last October in an attempt to reach blockaded Gaza, arresting Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and more than 450 participants.
