“The recognition of the State of Palestine, without there being a State of Palestine, could even be counterproductive for the objective.” Giorgia Meloni says this in an interview with Repubblica, explaining that she has no intention of following the choice of Emmanuel Macron, who a few hours ago made official France's willingness to recognize the State of Palestine, defying Israel's wrath and Donald Trump's opposition. The Italian Prime Minister does not change her line: “I have said it several times, even in Parliament – Meloni claims – I said it to the Palestinian Authority itself and I also said it to Macron”, claiming consistency in her positions. For the Prime Minister, diplomatic recognition risks being a purely symbolic gesture, capable of generating distorted effects:"If something that doesn't exist is recognized on paper, the problem risks appearing solved, when it isn't," she explains.
Meloni then claims to be"strongly in favor of the State of Palestine," but clarifies that the creation of a state requires a concrete political process,"capable of going beyond declarations of principle." For this reason, while sharing the ultimate goal, the Prime Minister rejects the timeline chosen by Paris:"I am not in favor of its recognition prior to a process for its constitution," she emphasizes.
The statements of the leader of the Brothers of Italy party have provoked attacks from the opposition."On Gaza, as on everything else, Meloni is hanging on Donald Trump's every word," says Roberto Speranza, a Democratic Party member of parliament, referring to the US president's statement after France's recognition of Palestine:"What Macron thinks about Palestine matters nothing." "Giorgia Meloni's statements on the recognition of the State of Palestine are serious and unacceptable. Saying that it's not the right time and that it would even be counterproductive, while people in Gaza continue to die of hunger and bombs, is a sign of total political and moral subservience to the executioner Netanyahu and the Israeli right," says Angelo Bonelli of the Green-Side Alliance.
The prime minister's position, however, must deal with differing nuances within her own majority. Foreign Minister and Forza Italia leader Antonio Tajani, while sharing the caution, emphasized reciprocity:"Italy is in favor of the two-people, two-state solution, but recognition of the new Palestinian state must occur simultaneously with their recognition of the State of Israel." Tajani then added that "the time has come for an immediate ceasefire." The opposition responded to the Forza Italia leader, with Democratic Party MP Laura Boldrini recalling that"the Palestinian National Authority has already recognized Israel for some time." The League's president of the Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, appeared more open to the possibility:"I'm not against it, but I don't know if it will resolve the conflict." A timid opening was immediately "corrected" by a note from the Northern League, which set clear conditions:"First, the release of the hostages and the dissolution of Hamas are needed."
The leaders of France, Great Britain and Germany – Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz
– discussed the issue in a video call yesterday afternoon, confirmed by the Elysée Palace and international agencies. According to Italian sources, London has requested Meloni's involvement, but the French president himself has opposed her participation. Since the beginning of the conflict following the terrorist attacks of October 7, the Italian government has maintained a cautious stance, historically close to Israel's positions. In recent months, however, Rome has begun a gradual distancing from Tel Aviv, spurred by public opinion and growing Western criticism of Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people.