Meloni's reaction to Israel regarding UNIFIL: Unacceptable

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid an official visit to Lebanon, which is currently facing intense attacks by Israel. Meloni, the first Head of Government to visit the country since the war began, met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Speaking at the press conference held after the meeting, Meloni said, "I would like to state that I am proud to be the first head of government to visit Lebanon since the start of the military escalation, and the only one to have visited twice since October 7 of last year. My presence here today is, above all, an expression of solidarity and closeness to the civilians."

"WE HAVE APPROVED 17 MILLION EUROS IN AID"

Stating that Italy has been calling for a 21-day ceasefire for weeks, Meloni said, "I would like to thank the Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament Berri, whom I will meet later today, for accepting this proposal. This is very, very important to us."

Emphasizing that her country is at the forefront of initiatives to alleviate humanitarian crises, the Italian Prime Minister said, "With our 'Food for Gaza' initiative, we have delivered more than 47 tons of food supplies to Gaza. In Lebanon, immediately following the military escalation, we approved 17 million euros in new and urgent humanitarian aid aimed specifically at supporting displaced people and the communities hosting them," she stated.

"I BELIEVE UNIFIL NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED"

"I am also here to thank all the soldiers serving within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Italian bilateral mission MIBIL," Meloni said, adding, "These soldiers have contributed to the stability of the border between Lebanon and Israel for years, and they will be needed in any post-conflict scenario. For this reason, I reiterate that I find the targeting of UNIFIL unacceptable, and I once again ask all parties to make efforts to ensure the safety of each of these soldiers. I believe that UNIFIL needs to be strengthened. We can only turn the page by strengthening UNIFIL. I think we must return to UNIFIL's original mission and do so properly in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces," she said.

Stating that she believes the Lebanese Armed Forces must have the best conditions to fulfill their responsibilities, Meloni said, "The goal is to increase the overall capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces by strengthening existing training and education programs in agreement with the Lebanese authorities."

"WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR EUROPEAN PARTNERS FOR THE RETURN OF REFUGEES"

Noting that they discussed the situation of internally displaced people and the refugee crisis that has long affected Lebanon in depth with Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati, Meloni said, "It is estimated that there are more than one million displaced people in Lebanon, in addition to one and a half million Syrian refugees. Regarding the displaced people, as I have stated before, Italy is determined to extend a helping hand by bringing this issue to the European and international level. As for the refugee issue, Italy has been dealing with this for a long time, and we are working with our European partners to create the necessary conditions for refugees to return to Syria. It is clear that this return must be voluntary, safe, sustainable, and dignified," she said.

Stating that they support the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to this end, Meloni concluded, "In conclusion, Mr. Prime Minister, you know that you can always count on Italy. We will do everything in our power to bring peace and prosperity back to this friendly country."

News Source: İHA