34 former Italian ambassadors lobbying Meloni to to recognise Palestine in open letter

ROME – An open letter was signed by 34 retired ambassadors who have held important positions – two former political directors, former permanent representatives to the EU and NATO, former diplomatic advisers to Palazzo Chigi and the Quirinale, and former ambassadors to countries such as China, Great Britain and Russia, reports il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper. This comes after Meloni, interviewed by the Reppublica, stated that the recognition of Palestine would now be counterproductive.

“There are moments in history when ambiguity and middle grounds are no longer possible. This moment has come for Gaza,” reads the letter, which underlines how “for many months now, there were no possible justifications or convincing arguments for the Israeli military operations in Gaza.” The ambassadors denounce the “flagrant violations of human rights and human dignity” and “ the crimes against humanity, war crimes, and constant disregard for international and humanitarian law, for which the Israeli government, like all governments, will have to answer.” Furthermore, “the unacceptable restrictions on humanitarian access to Gaza, and the reduction to unacceptable minimum levels, of the activities of international organisations in favour of self-declared humanitarian foundation, are creating thousands of innocent new victims.”

In light of all this, “statements, though necessary, are no longer enough,” rather, “concrete and effective politico-diplomatic actions are needed. Faced with the repeated killings and massacres of civilians, we ask the government to take appropriate actions, in particular, the following: suspending all relations and cooperation of any kind, with the military and defence sectors of Israel; supporting any EU initiative that provides for individual sanctions (restrictions on international travel and the freezing of economic and financial activities and assets) against Israeli ministers – such as Smotrich and Ben G'vir – who encourage and support the proliferation of illegal settlements and settler violence in the West Bank; and joining the European consensus for the temporary suspension of the Association Agreement between Israel and the EU,” the letter reads. “The [urgent] initiative of the utmost political significance and far from merely symbolic, is the immediate national recognition of the State of Palestine, in view of the International Conference on the implementation of the two-state solution. We ask the government to reconsider. This decision would confirm that, on the Italian side, the prospect of “two peoples, two states” is not only a meaningless slogan lacking any credibility, but rather a negotiating path to be reclaimed immediately. Relations with Israel should be strictly conditioned on this prospect.”

The long years spent in diplomatic service, remaining faithful to the cause of peace and dialogue, in the spirit of Article 11 of the Constitution of the Republic, have prompted us to make such an appeal, as we cannot remain silent and inactive in the face of the Israeli government’s systemic denial of all that we have believed in, and for which we have carried out our diplomatic profession.” Thus concludes the letter, signed by Aldo Amati, Antonio Armellini, Marco Baccin, Piero Benassi, Mario Boffo, Alberto Bradanini, Giovanni Brauzzi, Rocco Cangelosi, Ino Cassini, Rosanna Coniglio, Antonio D’Andria, Anna Della Croce, Roberto Di Leo, Pasquale Ferrara, Giovanni Ferrero, Giovanni Germano, Luca Giansanti, Aldo Mantovani, Maurizio Melani, Andrea Meloni, Elio Menzione, Laura Mirachian, Enrico Nardi, Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, Claudio Pacifico, Angelo Persiani, Michelangelo Pipan, Cristina Ravaglia, Lucio Alberto Savoia, Stefano Starace Janfolla, Stefano Stefanini, Pasquale Quito Terracciano, Carlo Trezza, Gianfranco Varvesi.

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