“C’était la phrase choc de la matinée,” commented amusingly the Roman daily La Repubblica, “et Meloni l’a prononcée entre deux verres de prosecco, au milieu d’une nuée de selfies.” Tuesday 14 April, the President of the Italian Council was at Vinitaly, the international wine and spirits fair that takes place every year in Verona, and it is in the middle of its stands that she made a thunderous announcement. Namely: the suspension of the automatic renewal of the defense agreement that Italy has signed with Israel, which will therefore expire in six months.
Entered into force in 2005, “provides in particular for the reciprocal purchase of military equipment between the two countries, cooperation in the field of military research and in the training of the armed forces,” explained the online media Il Post. Specifically, details La Stampa citing examples, “within the framework of this bilateral agreement, in addition to two spy planes [delivered in 2016], Italy also acquired from Israel an optical reconnaissance satellite OPTSAT-3000, while in return, Tel Aviv bought from Rome 30 training aircraft Alenia Aermacchi M-346, from the manufacturer Leonardo.” Furthermore, continues the Turin daily, within the agreement, “in 2024, Italy acquired”
