Italy Warns Against Early Recognition of Palestine: "It Could Have Reversed Results"

In statements to the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" today, Saturday, July 26, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her reservations about recognizing Palestine before it is actually established on the ground, saying: "I strongly support the establishment of a Palestinian state, but I do not support recognizing it before it is actually established".

She added: "If recognition is given on paper to something that does not exist, it may seem like the problem is solved, while in reality it is not", pointing out that such a decision could exacerbate the situation rather than solve it.

This position comes amid international controversy sparked by France's statements about its intention to recognize a Palestinian state during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September, which faced criticism from Israel and the United States, especially with the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani affirmed in a statement on Friday that any recognition of a Palestinian state must be conditional on mutual recognition by the Palestinians of Israel, ensuring political balance.

In a related context, a German government spokesman announced that Berlin does not plan to recognize a Palestinian state soon, emphasizing that the current priority is to achieve "tangible progress" towards the long-awaited two-state solution.