Italian PM Meloni Opposes Recognizing Palestinian State Without Its Existence

Following French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement on July 24 that France would recognize the State of Palestine, the debate has continued in Italy. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, speaking to the high-circulation newspaper La Repubblica, expressed her opposition to recognizing a Palestinian state without its actual establishment.

Meloni stated, “I believe that recognizing a Palestinian state when there is no Palestinian state could have a counterproductive effect in terms of the goal.” She added, “I have said this repeatedly, including in Parliament. I have also said this to the Palestinian Authority and to Macron. Recognizing something that does not exist on paper may make it seem like the problem is solved, but it is not.”

Meloni, who claims to support the idea of a Palestinian state, emphasized that she is not in favor of recognizing it before the process of its establishment begins.

Opposition Criticism:
Giuseppe Conte, leader of the opposition Five Star Movement (M5S), strongly criticized Meloni’s statements in a post on X. Conte accused Meloni of “showing rare consistency” and “taking off her mask,” claiming that she openly stated that Palestinians do not currently have the right to have their state recognized.

Conte highlighted that the Meloni government continues to oppose Palestinian rights even after the deaths of 60,000 people, including 20,000 children. He stated, “They continue to justify genocide, doing so just hours after Israeli Minister Amihai Ben-Eliyahu’s statement: ‘All of Gaza will be Jewish… The government is pushing for Gaza to be wiped off the map.'”