The Gaza cease-fire could be the dawn
of a possible peace for the whole Middle Eastern region, Foreign
Minister Antonio Tajani told La Stampa newspaper on the eve of a
mission to Israel and the West Bank on Monday.
"We are at the dawn of a possible peace that could involve the
entire region", Tajani, who is also deputy premier, said ahead
of a visit that would see him have talks with his Israeli
counterpart Gideon Sa'ar, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and
Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed
Mustafa.
Tajani said he would "encourage and support them, because today
the truce is still fragile".
The foreign minister told the Turin daily that he fears that
"the enemies of peace, opposed to stabilization, will carry out
provocations, and that Hamas will break the agreement".
For the future, Tajani explained, "I think it would be a good
idea to have an interposition mission promoted by an
international body like the UN. As long as it is led by the
Arabs".
Italy, he said, could play a role: "We are still in an embryonic
phase, but we would be ready to participate with a contingent.
"More generally, a European presence in the Middle East is
needed".
As for the recognition of Palestine, "our path leads there, but
it takes time because Palestine must also be recognized by
Israel and in turn must recognize Israel.
"The unilateral initiatives that I have seen so far by some
countries are of no use to Palestine or to peace".
Meanwhile, Lebanon is going through a new phase and for the
leadership of the UNIFIL mission "we have proposed General
Diodato Abagnara, a very high-level officer and we have already
discussed it with the Israeli and Lebanese authorities.
"It seems to me that they are happy with it".
There is also cautious optimism for the war in Ukraine, Tajani
told La Stampa, saying: "Trump will work to build peace, but the
problem cannot be solved overnight, so much so that he
reiterated US support for Kiev.
"However, I am convinced that this is the right year to reach a
ceasefire in Ukraine too".
As for Premier Giorgia Meloni and Italy's relationship with Elon
Musk and the possible use of his Starlink satellite system,
Tajani said "it is a market issue, I am very secular on this.
"The security of Italian data must be guaranteed, obviously. And
if that transmission system is useful and safe, why shouldn't
Italy take it into consideration?".
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