Ramallah

Idf: Carabinieri detention the work of a soldier. Tajani, guarantees from Israel on ascertaining the truth

Our two soldiers were detained on Sunday in Palestinian territory at gunpoint

26 January 2026

Un membro della polizia di frontiera israeliana fa un gesto durante un raid israeliano a Qalandya, nella Cisgiordania occupata da Israele, il 27 gennaio 2026. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Our Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summonedIsrael's ambassador to Italy to ask for clarification and confirm the harsh protest over the episode involving two carabinieri on duty at the Italian Consulate General in Jerusalem on Sunday 25 January. This was announced by the Farnesina. The two soldiers had been blocked in Palestinian territory, near Ramallah, and made to kneel at gunpoint by what at first appeared to be a "settler".

According to the IDF, however, it was an Israeli army soldier who stopped the carabinieri in a closed military zone in the so-called Area C (under Israeli control). This was stated by the IDF to Rai in Jerusalem. "Earlier this week (Sunday), a soldier spotted a vehicle heading to the community of Sde Ephraim along a route closed to civilian traffic in accordance with the operational situation assessment and designated as a closed military zone," the army explained.

Diplomatic pressure on Israel

The Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv has already made a formal protest to the Israeli government, addressing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, COGAT, the IDF General Staff, the police and the Shin Bet (the Israeli security service in charge of the Palestinian Territories).

The Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv - reads a note from the Farnesina - has addressed a "note verbale" of formal protest to the Israeli government over the episode. At the behest of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the Italian ambassador in Tel Aviv is lodging protests with various Israeli administrations, announcing direct intervention by the Italian political authority.

Tajani: 'On Carabinieri Sa'ar assured me truth will be established'

"I received a message from (Israeli Foreign Minister, ed) Gideon Sa'ar, who told me that he was abroad and would have the truth of the facts established. This morning there was a statement from the Israeli armed forces saying that it was a soldier and not a settler who made a mistake because he did not recognise the diplomatic plate. I would say that there is regret on the part of Israel for what happened'. Thus Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, commenting on the sidelines of an export event at the Farnesina on the case of the carabinieri subjected to illegal controls in the West Bank. "That soldier was recalled to give clarifications. Certainly it is unacceptable what happened, to have two Carabineri kneeling in front of the wall as if they were Hamas terrorists," Tajani added.

Survey for EU Ambassador Mission

The two soldiers - explains the Farnesina - were on a fact-finding visit to prepare for a mission of EU ambassadors to a village near Ramallah, in Palestinian National Authority territory (West Bank, ed.). The soldiers were threatened by a gunman in civilian clothes, allegedly an Israeli settler, who pointed a rifle at them. The soldiers (passports and diplomatic passes, cars with diplomatic plates) were 'interrogated' by the civilian; following the rules of engagement they received, they avoided responding violently to the initial threats.

The man handed them a person on the phone, who did not identify himself, who said that the two were inside a military area and had to leave. A check with Cogat (Israeli military command for the occupied Palestinian territory) confirmed that there is no military area there. The Carabinieri military personnel returned unharmed to the Consulate and reported the events to the Embassy and to the military chain of command.

Hamas: '20,000 Palestinians wait for Rafah crossing to reopen for treatment'

Meanwhile, in Gaza the wait is growing for the reopening of the Rafah crossing, after the discovery of the remains of Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage still missing in the Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Authority, some 20,000 Palestinians are waiting to leave the Strip to receive treatment in Egypt. Among the waiting patients are 440 life-threatening emergencies, some 4,000 cancer patients, and 4,500 children in need of urgent surgery. A source in al-Arish, Egypt, speaks of a possible reopening of the crossing by Sunday, while the broadcaster al-Araby al-Jadeed mentions Wednesday as a tentative date for preparations, and the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth speculates that passenger traffic will start as early as Thursday, with 100-150 transits per day. According to the plan under discussion, Egypt will send daily lists of names for Israeli control, with a gradual increase in capacity.

Netanyahu: Israel will maintain security control from the Jordan River to the sea

"Israel will exercise security control from the (river) Jordan to the sea, and this also applies to the Gaza Strip." This was stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. "I have heard that I will allow the creation of a Palestinian state in Gaza, but this has not happened and will not happen.... I think you all know that the person who has repeatedly blocked the creation of a Palestinian state is me," he said.