ISTANBUL

Italy on Monday reiterated its "firm" support for a two-state solution in the Middle East, stressing that lasting peace is only achievable through the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under a reformed and empowered Palestinian Authority.

Speaking at a high-level UN international conference on Palestine, Maria Tripodi, Italy’s undersecretary of state for foreign affairs, said: “Italy firmly believes that the two-state solution represents the meeting point between Israel's security needs and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, only from a Gaza Strip free of Hamas and reunited with the West Bank under a reformed and empowered Palestinian Authority.”

At the conference at UN headquarters in New York, the Italian delegation co-chaired the working group on security alongside Indonesia, underscoring the centrality of security in any political process.

“Addressing the security needs of both Israelis and Palestinians is a prerequisite for any political progress and is the cornerstone of regional stability,” she said.

She expressed appreciation to Saudi Arabia and France for convening the conference and acknowledged the contributions of UN member states, the European Union, the Arab League, civil society, and the Palestinian Authority.

Highlighting the group’s core principles, she said: “Just as there can be no peace without security, there can be no security without peace.”

She stressed that a durable security architecture must be grounded in political agreements and negotiations, not solely on military arrangements.

The Italian side also pointed to the EU’s deployment of its EUBAM Rafah mission during the ceasefire as a successful example of multilateral cooperation.

“The consent of both parties, the invitation of the Palestinian Authority, and a Security Council resolution are essential conditions for any stabilization mission in Gaza and for any monitoring effort in the West Bank," she added.

She outlined short-, medium-, and long-term priorities, including an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access, and capacity-building for Palestinian institutions and security forces.