Italian PM visits Lebanon, discloses moves to hold talks with Israeli counterpart

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has disclosed moves to hold discussions with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu following the end of her visit to Lebanon and Jordan.

The official is in Lebanon’s capital Beirut to meet the country’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

“I think that at the end of my trip, I will call Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Meloni told reporters.

Meloni has been publicly critical of Israel over the past week for its frequent attacks on UNIFIL, the UN’s peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Italy is among dozens of countries that contribute soldiers to UNIFIL’s more than 10,000-strong force.

On his part, Mikati explained that the duo discussed the conflict in southern Lebanon and agreed that a “diplomatic solution must come before war, violence and destruction, and is represented first by Israel’s full commitment to a ceasefire”.

Mikati said he assured Meloni that “there is no priority above a ceasefire,” stressing that the attacks on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) is “unacceptable”, and that the peacekeeping mission “must be strengthened”.

Israel has been widely condemned after five UNIFIL peacekeepers were injured in southern Lebanon this month following the Israeli army’s ground attacks.

Israeli forces have urged UN peacekeepers to leave their positions.