Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has come under attack by Israeli forces, should not be withdrawn, as she said she would visit Lebanon on Oct. 18.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel – an area that has seen serious clashes this month between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.
Israel has demanded the withdrawal of the UNIFIL forces, which include just over 1,000 Italian troops, but contributor nations have refused and angrily denounced repeated Israeli strikes against the bases that have injured some peacekeepers.
"We believe that the attitude of the Israeli forces is completely unjustified," Meloni told the upper house of parliament, describing it as a "blatant violation" of a U.N. resolution that mandated the Lebanese mission.
In a later speech to the lower house, she said: "I believe that a withdrawal on the basis of a unilateral request by Israel would be a big mistake. It would undermine the credibility of the mission itself, the credibility of the United Nations."
Her decision to travel to Lebanon, despite daily attacks on the country by Israel, highlights Italy's determination to support the U.N. operation and underscores Rome's anger with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the issue.
Meloni's government has been one of the most vocal supporters of Israel over the past year as launched a genocidal war that killed at least 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza after Hamas' Oct. 7 assault.
"I understand Israel's reasons for needing to prevent what happened last Oct. 7 from happening again, but that obviously does not mean I agree with all its choices," Meloni said.
Since the start of Israel's ground operation in Lebanon on Oct. 1, UNIFIL positions have been targeted 20 times, including by direct fire and an incident on Sunday when two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of a UNIFIL base, the U.N. has said.
Netanyahu, who is facing a genocide case at the World Court, has denied that Israeli troops deliberately struck at UNIFIL peacekeepers.
Italy has formally protested to Israel and joined allies in condemning the attacks on the mission.
Meloni said Hezbollah had also violated the U.N. resolution and sought "to militarize the area under UNIFIL's jurisdiction," adding that Italy wanted to strengthen the capabilities of UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
