Meloni blasts far-right Netanyahu ally for taunting Italian activists

 

Meloni blasts far-right Netanyahu ally for taunting Italian activists

 

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to discuss his country’s “utter disregard shown towards the Italian Government.”

 

May 20, 2026 5:04 pm CET

By Jonas Loesel

https://www.politico.eu/article/italy-giorgia-meloni-israel-ambassador-flotilla-arrests/

 

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has demanded an apology from Israel over its treatment of Italian activists arrested on a Gaza aid flotilla.

 

The Israeli Defense Forces intercepted the flotilla of some 50 vessels on Sunday, firing rubber bullets, boarding the boats and taking some 400 activists from 40 countries back to Israel.

 

In another sign of deteriorating Israeli-Italian relations, the Italian leader announced on Wednesday that her foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, called in the Israeli ambassador “to seek formal clarification” over what Italy describes as “utter disregard shown towards the Italian Government’s explicit requests,” according to an official statement.

 

Meloni was responding to a video posted by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, where the far-right politician taunts the detained activists as they are shown kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs. “Welcome to Israel. We’re the landlords,” Ben-Gvir said.

 

Meloni described the behavior as “unacceptable,” adding that Italy would work toward the immediate release of the 29 citizens currently in Israel. Tajani added that the footage was “contrary to every basic safeguard of human dignity.”

 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu distanced himself from Ben-Gvir’s video on Wednesday, saying that his actions were “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”

 

In 2025, Ben-Gvir said he was “proud” that activists from a previous flotilla were treated like terror supporters. He is also the foremost proponent of expanding the use of the death penalty against Palestinians — celebrating his 50th birthday earlier this month with a birthday cake bearing a picture of a noose.

 

Among those being detained by Israel is the Italian lawmaker Dario Carotenuto, a member of Italy’s Five Star Movement. Former Italian Prime Minister and party leader Giuseppe Conte said Tuesday that he had “lost contact with our deputy Dario Carotenuto” and described the event as an “armed kidnapping.”

 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called Ben-Gvir’s video a “disgraceful display.”

 

Tensions have been rising between Italy and Israel in the past few months.

 

Meloni recently suspended a defense cooperation agreement between the two countries after the Israeli Defense Forces fired warning shots at an Italian peacekeeping convoy outside Beirut, Lebanon.

 

She had previously condemned Israel for preventing Catholic leaders from celebrating a private Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday and criticized its conduct in Lebanon in a speech to parliament in early April.

 

On Wednesday, France’s foreign affairs minister Jean-Noël Barrot also said he would summon Israel’s envoy “to express our indignation.” When reached for comment, the Israeli embassy to France pointed to Sa’ar’s and Netanyahu’s statements on Ben-Gvir.

 

German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert joined the chorus of condemnation, calling the incident “wholly unacceptable and incompatible with the basic values of our countries,” and praising Israeli government figures for calling it out.

 

Senior government figures from Belgium, Ireland and Spain also strongly protested the detainees’ treatment.

 

The Israeli embassy in Italy did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

 

CORRECTION: This article was updated on May 20 to correct the spelling of Steffen Seibert’s name.