Italy urges Hezbollah to halt all military operations, respect govt ceasefire with Israel
Rome, June 4
Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday called on Hezbollah to comply with a US-brokered accord between Lebanon and Israel to renew their fragile ceasefire announced in a joint statement which said the deal was "contingent on complete cessation" of attacks by the Iran-backed Shia Muslim militant group among other conditions.
"We keep saying that the only path forward, if we want to achieve peace, is that of dialogue and diplomacy. The agreement reached yesterday (Wednesday) between Israel and Lebanon in the United States is a positive step," Tajani told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting in Valle D'Aosta on cross-border cooperation between Italy and France, Adnkronos news agency reported.
"That agreement must now be respected. Hezbollah bears a tremendous responsibility and has already announced that it does not intend to respect it, but it must comply with the decisions of Lebanon's legitimate government, which is safeguarding the country's territorial integrity to the best of its ability," he said.
The Israel-Lebanon accord, reached after a fourth round of US-mediated talks, requires the "evacuation of all [Hezbollah] operatives" from an area between the Israeli border and the Litani river, about 30 kilometres to the north, which is currently occupied by Israeli ground forces. It is the deepest Israeli advance into Lebanon in decades.
"We want peace; we want Hezbollah to stop provoking Israel by firing missiles and targeting civilians...we welcome the US mediation, which we support," said Tajani.
"But we also want the Lebanese regular armed forces to safeguard that country's security," he went on.
Italy has been training the Lebanese army for years through a military mission (MBIL) that is distinct from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, whose mandate will end on 31 December, Tajani said.
"We are ready to do more, also to work to cut off financial flows to Hezbollah's military wing, including through the cooperation that our Guardia di Finanza (tax police) can provide," Tajani added.
Italy will maintain a military presence in Lebanon and support the capacity building of the Lebanese armed forces after the planned UNIFIL withdrawal at the end of the year, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has stated.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting that Italy is training the Lebanese army while also asking Hezbollah to stand down. It's like trying to train one dog while the other keeps barking. But honestly, what choice do they have? Hezbollah is deeply embedded in Lebanese society - they provide healthcare, education, and social services that the state can't match. You can't just wave a magic wand and make them disappear.
Italy's MIlan-based diplomacy reminds me of our own foreign policy - always advocating for dialogue while knowing it might not work. Tajani's point about cutting financial flows is crucial. In India, we've seen how targeting terror financing works. But Hezbollah's network runs deep through diaspora communities, smuggling routes, and Iran's banking channels. Without international cooperation on this front, any ceasefire is just a pause button.
Another day, another ceasefire in the Middle East. 🙄 It's like Groundhog Day with more casualties. Italy means well, but asking Hezbollah to "respect the government" is laughable when the Lebanese government can't even collect garbage properly, let alone control armed militias. The US mediation is just putting lipstick on a pig - the real issues (Iran's role, Israel's occupation, refugee crisis) remain unaddressed.
As someone who lives in a region affected by cross-border tensions (Kashmir), I feel for the Lebanese people. 🕊️ Hezbollah's military operations bring more suffering to ordinary civilians than any freedom they claim to fight for. Italy's approach of training the Lebanese army and cutting Hezbollah's finances is sensible. But the international community needs to address why groups like Hezbollah gain popularity in the first place - occupation, inequality, and lack of political representation.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.