Meloni Vows Palestinian Recognition Amid Protests

Facing nationwide strikes, mass demonstrations and growing public anger over the Gaza war, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has softened her once staunchly pro‑Israel stance and said she will present a motion to Italy’s Parliament to recognize a Palestinian state. At the UN she said Israel’s campaign in Gaza had “crossed a line,” condemned Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks, and pledged that Italy will back some EU sanctions on Israeli officials and measures such as partial suspension of trade preferences. She said recognition would be conditioned on the release of hostages and the exclusion of Hamas from governance, while stressing proportionality and humanitarian norms. Domestic unrest has included strikes that paralyzed infrastructure, occupations of transport hubs and an incident in Turin where a death threat was painted on a station wall; police are investigating and Meloni publicly rejected the intimidation. The moves mark a notable repositioning by a leader long aligned with Israel as she seeks to balance relations with the US, EU partners and a restive domestic electorate.