Italy says ready to send troops to UN for Palestinian state recognized by Israel

ROME

Italy is ready to send troops to the UN for the establishment of a Palestinian state recognized by Israel and recognizing Israel.

In an interview with the newspaper Avvenire, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani assessed the international issues in light of the recent situation in the region following the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the Israeli army's bombardment on Sept. 27.

"Unfortunately, the risk of escalating tension appears to be constant at this time. Today, we are working harder than ever for a cease-fire in both Lebanon and Gaza," he added.

Tajani emphasized that he is in constant contact with the embassies in Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Tehran, saying: "We are monitoring the emergency situation and are prepared to evacuate our citizens."

"We urge everyone to leave as soon as possible. While we continue our diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, the situation remains delicate."

When asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN, Tajani said: "Israel has the right to defend itself, and this crisis began with the attacks on Oct. 7. However, a worrying response was triggered by the subsequent loss of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians."

Tajani noted that there are different administrations in Gaza and the West Bank, indicating that there is no single government in Palestine.

"Our goal is to facilitate this integration, perhaps for a limited time, with the presence of an Arab-led UN mission under the guidance of the Palestinian authority.

"We are ready to send our troops alongside the UN for the establishment of a Palestinian state recognized by Israel and that recognizes Israel," he added.

*Writing by Muhammed Enes Calli in Istanbul​​​​​​​