Meloni’s Israel U‑turn ‘too late’ and proof of ‘political cowardice’: Italian MP

[0:00] Italy's Prime Minister Giorgio Melloni is under growing political pressure over the country's ties to Israel. [0:06] On Tuesday, the government suspended a military cooperation agreement between the two countries [0:10] in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon over the past month. [0:14] Now opponents are accusing Melloni of failing to stand up to Israel over its genocidal war on Gaza. [0:21] A recent speech in Parliament by MP Angelo Bonelli accusing the Prime Minister of political cowardice has gone violent. [0:28] Well, Angelo Bonelli is an Italian Member of Parliament. [0:31] He is the co-spokesperson of the Europa Verde Opposition Party. [0:34] He's the leader of the Italian Green and Left Alliance and he's joining us live from Rome. [0:39] Thank you very much indeed for being with us on Al Jazeera. [0:41] So you say that Prime Minister Melloni hasn't been standing up to Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. [0:47] Now she says Italy is not going to renew its defence agreement with Israel. [0:54] Is that enough? [0:56] First of all, thank you for your invitation. [0:58] Yesterday, Giorgia Melloni, the president of the Italian government, suspended the military cooperation agreement with Israel. [1:08] I repeat, suspended and not revoked. [1:10] She revoked only after the Italian soldiers of the United Nations mission were attacked by the Israeli hermit. [1:18] In the last few years, I asked the Prime Minister Melloni to revoke the military agreement with Israel. [1:25] When the Israeli hermit bombed Gaza, destroyed schools and hospitals and killed 70,000 women and children. [1:35] You know what did she tell me about my request? [1:39] That the military agreement for the Italian government was a diplomatic tool and that it means maintaining dialogue with Israel. [1:48] How could a dialogue be maintained with cooperating with weapons? [1:52] And so yesterday, Melloni decided to suspend the agreement, but only after when the Italian soldiers were attacked by the Israeli hermit. [2:05] We saw previously in Italy, cities around Italy, huge demonstrations that were held when Israel was carrying out its war in Gaza. [2:17] Can you just give us an idea of how deeply people in Italy feel about Israel, the attacks that it carries out in the Gulf region and also to Lebanon and of course in Gaza? [2:28] Yes, in Italy, not only in Italy, in Europe, there is a big, big sentiment to support the Palestinian people because we have in the face of us a big violation of international law from Benjamin Netanyahu. [2:51] All the Italian people, all the Italian people, the very big, big majority said stop the war and we want to rebuild the international law that was destroyed from Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. [3:08] And so we need to rebuild the international law because we have to be very clear, the war needed to Netanyahu to maintain their power and escape their criminal responsibilities in front of history. [3:30] Big responsibility to make a genocide in Gaza. [3:36] You said Prime Minister Meloni should resign. [3:39] She's also one of the few leaders around the world who actually seems to have some sort of sway with Donald Trump. [3:45] Isn't it better for Italy to actually be in the room with Donald Trump rather than outside? [3:52] Of course. [3:53] What happened? [3:56] Georgia Meloni, the president of the Italian government, supported all the position of Donald Trump. [4:04] For example, the question of Venezuela, Maduro was kidnapping from Trump. [4:13] Also, when Trump said that tonight I will cancel the Iranians' civility. [4:23] But what happened? [4:28] Two days ago, Trump attacked the Pope. [4:32] Even posting on his social media him like a Jesus Christ. [4:38] Today Trump said that he was chosen by God to wage war. [4:43] For me, we are faced with a psychotic case. [4:48] But what happened? [4:49] What happened that Meloni knows that to stay too close to Trump is very, very negative for her and for her consensus. [5:01] And so, decided to say that Trump's words were unabsettable. [5:09] And so, this is the reason. [5:10] But I'm not very, very sure that this position is a broken relation with Trump. [5:18] We have to see what happens in the next days. [5:22] Angela Bonelli, Italian Member of Parliament. [5:24] We appreciate you being with us on Algezira, sir. [5:26] Thank you very much. [5:27] Thank you very much.