ISTANBUL

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday said Italy is not yet prepared to recognize the State of Palestine, following France’s recent announcement that it would do so in September.

Speaking at a meeting of his center-right Forza Italia (FI) party’s national council, Tajani reiterated Italy’s support for the two-state solution but stressed that recognition must be reciprocal, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

“Italy is in favor of the two-peoples-two-states solution, but the recognition of the new Palestinian state must take place at the same time as their recognition of the state of Israel,” he said.

“We are interested in peace, not in the victory of one side over the other,” he added.

He also defended Italy’s humanitarian record, saying: “We are the country that has taken in the largest number of refugees from Gaza.”

While expressing continued friendship with Israel, Tajani condemned its ongoing military operations and blockade of the Gaza Strip.

“We can no longer accept carnage and famine,” he said. “The time has come for an immediate ceasefire. We are friends of Israel but we have told Israel (this).”

His remarks drew criticism from the opposition Democratic Party (PD), which accused him of misrepresenting history and using flawed reasoning to delay recognition.

“Does our Foreign Minister know what he's talking about?” said Giuseppe Provenzano, the PD’s foreign affairs chief.

“He says we need recognition of Israel. Aside from the fact that Italy recognized it in 1949, Palestine, along with the PLO, also recognized Israel in 1993, with the Oslo Accords.”

Provenzano argued that the lack of progress stems from Israel, not Palestine.

“It is Israel that must recognize Palestine, ending the illegal occupation of its territories,” he said, blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for derailing past agreements. “So, saying now that we need 'mutual recognition' means waiting for the criminal Netanyahu to decide, which means never.”

“You can choose to be on the wrong side of history, but you can't rewrite it with hypocrisy and lies,” Provenzano added. “All of this is unacceptable.”