The governor of the Apulia region in southern Italy, Michele Emiliano, announced the severing of ties with the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court, in protest against the genocide of defenseless Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
"Given the genocide being perpetrated by the Netanyahu government against defenseless Palestinians," Emiliano said in an official statement carried by the Italian news agency ANSA, he calls on "all managers and employees of the region, its agencies, and its affiliated companies to sever all ties with official representatives of the Netanyahu government and with anyone associated with it who does not clearly and unequivocally demonstrate their support for all initiatives aimed at stopping the Israeli massacres in Gaza."
Emiliano explained that the resolution targets Netanyahu's government, not Israelis, as there are many Israelis and Jews around the world who condemn this government and wish to put an end to the massacre.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said last Wednesday that the ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip has become unacceptable and must stop immediately, warning against any move to forcibly displace Palestinians from the Strip.
"The bombing must stop, humanitarian aid must resume as soon as possible, and respect for international humanitarian law must be restored," Tajani added during a heated debate in the House of Representatives, stressing that "expelling Palestinians from Gaza is not and never will be an acceptable option."
Opposition parties attacked the Italian government over Gaza, demanding sanctions against Israel and Italy's formal recognition of the State of Palestine. They also announced a demonstration in Rome on June 7.
"The levels of political, moral, and intellectual deterioration you have reached, O Italian and European ruling class, will condemn you as complicit in genocide and inhuman crimes," said Riccardo Ricciardi, a member of parliament for the 5-Star Movement.
Italy has long been a strong supporter of Israel, but concern is growing within the right-wing coalition government over Israel's ongoing, protracted military campaign in the Gaza Strip, amid growing Western criticism of Israel.
It's worth noting that the Spanish city of Barcelona announced yesterday, Friday, that it was severing ties with the Israeli government and suspending its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv. The decision came after the Barcelona City Council voted in a vote to sever institutional ties with the Israeli government and suspend its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv "until international law is respected and the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people are guaranteed."
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 177,000 Palestinians dead or wounded—mostly children and women—and more than 11,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands displaced.
Source: Italian press
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Italian region cuts ties with Israel