Meloni: 'Increase pressure on Russia. Without Hamas ready to recognise Palestine'

"Hamas," he clarified, "must accept that it has no role in transitional governance and in the future Palestinian state, and it must be disarmed, to prevent it from continuing to pose a threat to regional stability. We have seen, even in recent days, evidence of the ferocity of this organisation even towards the Palestinians themselves, in a dangerous series of summary executions that we consider unacceptable. These are the necessary preconditions for Italy's recognition of the State of Palestine, as also indicated by this Parliament. The government is ready to act accordingly when these conditions are met".

"We are ready to contribute with our Carabinieri, already present for years in Jericho, for the training of the Palestinian police, and in the EU mission for Rafah, whose number we are ready to increase. I will reiterate this in person to President Abbas, with whom I have an appointment in Rome for early November", Meloni orgasised in her communications to the Senate ahead of the European Council.

For Gaza, Meloni said, "Italy continues to do intensive work that puts it in first place among western nations and is ready to increase its effort", and "from too many quarters, mainly out of self-interest, people pretend not to see this or try to deny it".

Our "effort" for Gaza, continued the premier, "unique among western nations does justice to the too many polemics and lies heard in recent months. And I am proud to represent a nation where the majority of citizens still know how to distinguish between cynicism flaunted for the cameras and true and silent solidarity."

With regard to the conflict in Ukraine, Meloni emphasised that "in order to reach the negotiating table" it is necessary "also to increase the pressure on Moscow, as we are doing with the 19th European sanctions package, which we are approving and which will contribute to reducing even more the resources that Moscow can allocate to the war effort. Because it is worth repeating an important concept: economic sanctions are not against the Russian people, but against the regime that turns Russia's wealth into weapons and destruction. Every resource that Russia accumulates today is not used to build schools, hospitals or generate work, but is used to finance the war, and the destruction of schools, hospitals or work in Ukraine".

"Let me again clearly reiterate the government's position," the premier continued, "that each nation will contribute to the efforts" of the Volunteers for Kiev, but "Italy has already made it clear that it does not plan to send soldiers to Ukrainian territory.

"It is well known," said Meloni, "that we are discussing with our EU and G7 partners further possible measures concerning Russian frozen assets, with respect to which we nevertheless believe - and we are not alone - that it is necessary to respect international law and the principle of legality, to protect the financial and monetary stability of our economies and the eurozone, and to guarantee the sustainability of any steps that may be taken

More generally, according to the President of the Council, "the strengthening of defence requires even more ambitious financial solutions. We are already calling for a debate on the possibility of making the flexibility of the Stability and Growth Pact permanent with regard to investments in this area".

"Italy will not be able to support the proposal to revise the European climate law, all the more so if it is not substantiated by a real change of approach", said the Prime Minister. Italy, she stressed, "supports and will continue to support an ambitious emissions reduction pathway, but we believe that the best way not to achieve this objective is to continue to chase an ideological and therefore unreasonable approach that sets unsustainable and therefore unattainable targets" that "risk definitively compromising the very credibility of the European Union".

According to Meloni, "we must remain open to all solutions, such as sustainable biofuels, which can contribute to decarbonisation and which must be allowed even after 2035. Finally, thanks also to our insistence on this point and our ability to bring other important European partners around to these positions, we have seen a first opening on the part of President Von der Leyen who, in her letter on competitiveness sent to leaders last Monday, ahead of the Council, makes explicit reference to this possibility". "Applying this principle," she continued, "would mean guaranteeing the survival of the endothermic engine, fuelling it with