Don't be fooled
*Israeli sources told Ynet that this decision "has no practical repercussions": "This is not a defense agreement, but a memorandum of understanding devoid of any real substance."*
Original content in italian:
**Fonti israeliane** hanno affermato a *Ynet* che questa decisione “**non ha alcuna ripercussione pratica**“: “Non si tratta di un accordo di difesa, ma di un memorandum d’intesa privo di contenuto reale”
[https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/04/14/meloni-sospende-accordo-difesa-israele-notizie/8355209/](https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/04/14/meloni-sospende-accordo-difesa-israele-notizie/8355209/)
641
Braided_Marxist3 days ago
+428
So Italy is beginning the process of cutting military ties with Israel is what I’m reading
428
zeth0s2 days ago
+209
She lost a big vote round. She now needs to do popular while meaningless stuff to ends up on newspaper. That has always been her primary strategy for winning election. Currently supporting Israel war for increasing gas prices is particularly unpopular
209
Braided_Marxist2 days ago
+107
So, in a democracy, the public’s opinion on military cooperation with a specific country has shifted, and as a result the government is making moves in accordance with the shift in public opinion.
107
zeth0s2 days ago
+50
It is not making real moves. This is the reasons she lost recent vote. Her government is being accused on "selling smoke". Saying a lot of popular things, doing not much. In this case she found another way to end up on big newspaper with minimal real impact .
But, yeah, better than completely nothing
50
Braided_Marxist2 days ago
+38
I’m just saying it’s quite notable when one of Israel’s strongest defenders in Europe is doing this. I wouldn’t be surprised to see something like this from Spain or Ireland, but it’s certainly notable coming from a right wing government. It shows that even the european right is shifting on Israel
Obviously the only country whose opinion on Israel actually matters is America’s.
38
FecklessFool2 days ago
+16
And they're saying it's all talk for the election cycle.
16
Koala_eiO2 days ago
+41
Democracy is when you elect a leader with ideas and values that represent yours.
Populism is when a leader changes their ideas and values depending on what's new that month in order to keep your support.
41
Seanspeed2 days ago
+16
Hilarious that people wouldn't understand this. Says a lot about how easily they'd get fooled by some transparent populist.
16
SadSecurity2 days ago
+6
They are*
6
Low_Intention_13272 days ago
+60
Doubt it. From what the Italians are saying, shes a big supporter of Israel.
60
Braided_Marxist2 days ago
+42
Surely this move is 100% meaningless then and she took time out of her day to do it
42
Low_Intention_13272 days ago
+13
From what I understand the contract just wasnt auto renewal. So they have to go through the process again.
13
ZuAusHierDa2 days ago
+1
Doesn’t mean anything as long as Germany is pro Israel. Germany is the one who makes the EU policies.
1
Prior_Fisherman76653 days ago
+41
Sounds like a government downplaying something.
41
spookmann2 days ago
+1
Yeah. Let's go back and see what they said when it was signed.
Did they say it was "meaningless" back then? I'm guessing maybe not... :)
1
CirnoWhiterock2 days ago
+8
Most European governments want to pretend to break off with Israel without actually breaking off with Israel.
8
falconzord2 days ago
+11
That's how it started with Russia too
11
CirnoWhiterock2 days ago
+2
Honestly, I would not be surprised if some parts of Europe start quietly going back on Russian oil after the ukraine war ends. They know that at the end of the day voters vote on the economy, and c**** oil does wonders for the economy.
2
scrambledhelix2 days ago
+5
Some parts of the EU never stopped
5
Crimsonsworn2 days ago
+4
They didn’t stop, they switched to India who get their crude from russia
4
BlueHighwindz3 days ago
+20
It's all the little symbolic agreements for now, clock is ticking for how many years of Trump you have left and how blank that check remains.
20
Acceptable-Peak-63753 days ago
-1
That's what a lot of people seem to think. Sadly, their opinions have very little to do with reality.
1. Israel is an ally, and shares defense tech, so breaking that alliance in itself is an issue only fools would be supporting.
2. Israel is beholden to the U.S. and its preferences, so by taking that away, the metaphor "israel being taken off its leash" will change how the 3 year war will be fought.
3. Even after trump is gone, youd almost have to openly support Iran regimes worldview... which has partially been responsible for the clusterfuck that is the middle east.
No, I'm guessing even if you vote 100% western Democrats, youd be surprised that all of a sudden, Israel's well within her rights to defend herself in a defensive war, as they try to support the single democratic country in the region.
-1
BlueHighwindz2 days ago
+8
After this war of choice, point 1 seems to indicate that supporting Israel is a net loser for the entire planet. What is Israel giving me right now as an American besides a worse gas bill?
Israel is propped up endlessly by the US on every geopolitical level to protect it from the repercussions of its barbarity, and since the US is increasingly diplomatically isolated thanks to its own host of stupid actions, the US's word means increasingly less.
Finally, I don't have to have a side in any fight between Israel and Iran. The US can take its ball and go home.
8
MastodonParking90802 days ago
+6
You don't have any side but you do care about the repercussions on a conflict in the Middle East on yourself, of which extricating yourself from an ally in that region is going to do wonders on your ability to secure your interests.
The hegemonic ambitions of Iran and their rivalry with the Gulf States (who are the ones supplying your oil) isnot going to dissappear regardless of Israel, but perhaps your credibility will.
6
Unicorn_Colombo2 days ago
+9
Destruction of Hamas, Hezbollah, and partial containment of Islamism in middle east. Containment of Iran and making sure they don't have nuke (and nuke terrorism isn't a thing). Fall of Asad, and transition of many regimes in ME to more trade oriented economics (coz if they go Islamist, they attack Israel and get beaten).
Development of many practical technologies, the major being desalination tech.
9
_Tiffer2 days ago
-8
Why should Israel get credit for solving problems it created?
-8
Unicorn_Colombo2 days ago
+7
Israel didn't create islamism or islamists. While you might argue about Hamas, that without Israel, Palestinian Arabs would be more Soviet-oriented, Communist movements failed in basically every other part of ME and often turned into Islamist hellscape. Such as Iran, where the original revolution was a combination of anti-Western groups including Soviet-backed commies, or Hezbollah, where some original Shia groups had some small communist inclinations.
Israel didn't have Iran nuclear tech.
Israel didn't create or supported Assad, in fact was quite on knives with him.
And finally, **Israel didn't created salty water.** just to make their de-salination technology more in-demand.
7
Nileghi2 days ago
+12
> solving problems it created?
Israel didnt create islamism. Israel didnt make the islamists near you blow up supermarkets. Its fun to have a bogeyman, but be serious now lol.
12
hannibal_fett2 days ago
-5
Kinda did. They were given stolen land and then forced the local Palestinians out at gunpoint. And have cried victim ever since then. They kill protestors, journalists, children. It's really hard to look at Israel and see anything other than an agitator
-5
Best_Change41552 days ago
+4
>They were given stolen land
wat
4
hannibal_fett2 days ago
-5
Literally stole land from native Palestinians and forced people at gunpoint to leave their homes.
-5
Scypher_Tzu2 days ago
+6
israel is not propped up by US. it has its own everything lmao. America gives it aid which it uses to buy american goods which allows America to. create jobs at home and make sure Israel doesnt drift towards Russia or worse China
6
No-Cryptographer74942 days ago
-2
not really if the us stopped selling weapons to israel it would dry up real fast
-2
Scypher_Tzu2 days ago
+10
No? it would make its own (like it was gonna) or it would buy from Russia or china
10
Matt2_ASC2 days ago
+3
If the US moves on from Trump in a significant way, imprisoning people..., and Israel does the same to Bibi, then I could see the public willing to accept Israel as a strong ally again. But if those don't happen, I don't see how the US voters get sold the idea of supporting a democracy as an ally when democratic institutions have been destroyed by that government.
3
[deleted]2 days ago
-2
[deleted]
-2
SpiderSlitScrotums2 days ago
+3
1. Losing Israel’s defensive contracts would be like losing Michigan’s. Israel is a tiny, tiny country. A couple billion dollars in a trillion dollar defense budget is a rounding error.
2. Are those preferences “more war crimes”?
3. It’s weird that we didn’t have to openly support their worldview before Trump. But I guess the hyperbole train hadn’t pulled into the station then.
3
mhornberger2 days ago
+9
Israel has purchased over $20 billion in arms from the US since the 7 October attack. And *sales* should not be conflated with *aid*. Most of our aid comes back to us in the form of sales (meaning jobs), but the amount bought with our aid is far from the entirety of sales. Some want to merely cut off aid, and others want to cut off aid *and* sales.
9
financekid2 days ago
-1
None of those 3 points are valid.
1.) Israel has sold us defense tech to multiple other countries including china. This is documented. They have rarely if ever chipped in to help US in military operations that our outside of their own direct interest. They also didn't chip in to help Ukraine.
2.) Let them off the leash. They committed war crimes and none of the Israeli policy benefits the US taxpayer anymore. We spend billions on them and get nothing out of it but endless wars.
3.) These are not mutually exclusive. I can not support Iran and not support Israel. Just like I don't support North Korea and Iran.
-1
VoltNShock2 days ago
+6
Has any regional ally helped America in foreign wars not of their own interest? Isn't that the point? America helps its allies maintain their standing in their region, not the other way around.
On a % of GDP basis, some of Israel's biggest critics haven't helped Ukraine much more than Israel themselves. Spain especially talks a lot under Sanchez but doesn't contribute much to NATO or Ukraine.
6
Jaded_Hyena_35222 days ago
-8
Calling Israel a "democratic country" implies that it shares the values of Western democracies, which it demonstrably does not. Israel is not some mini, circa-1812 America that just popped out of nowhere in the Levant.
-8
Polytechnika2 days ago
+16
It implies only what you want to personally interpret into it. Israel is factually democratic. Democracies produce bad governments sometimes, how is this surprising.
16
mhornberger2 days ago
+10
Not only factually democratic, but the >20% of their population who are Arab Muslims can also vote and hold political office. Neither of which were true under the apartheid of South Africa which Israel is so often accused of resembling.
10
Jaded_Hyena_35222 days ago
-3
Where did I say they were not factually democratic? What I said was that calling them "a democracy" conjures up a fallacious image that their social values are the same as major Western democracies
-3
VoltNShock2 days ago
+4
They are similar as they can be while they are surrounded by people who want to destroy them. I'm sure they'd be like Ireland/Norway/Etc if they weren't under constant attack from Iran's proxies.
4
Seanspeed2 days ago
+1
You've clearly been radicalised by social media man.
1
slpgh3 days ago
+131
It some sort of defense memorandum, and they waited until it just renewed to announce they won’t renew next year
131
Gangstarville2 days ago
+14
It's renewed fro 5 years, and what they question is if in 5 years will / will not be renewed for another 5. Don't get fooled, Italy was and will continue to be a vassal state to the US.
14
Prior_Fisherman76653 days ago
+55
That is incorrect, it is null now. They met to finalize the decision on the final day before renewal, it was announced the following day.
55
Adidas6q3 days ago
+17
Sei sicuro? perché tutte le notizie che trovo dicono che si è rinnovato in maniera automatica fino al 2031
17
Thurak02 days ago
+106
I don't understand these "doesn't matter" comments. If it would not matter, this agreement would never have existed.
> The 2003 deal concerns the exchange of military material and technological research between the two armed forces
that's not nothing that is lost.
Edit kind of unrelated: You guys have no idea how much I hate that the media have token over "deal" as word for diplomatic agreements and treaties.
106
__Gripen__2 days ago
+20
Because the cancellation of this memorandum doesn’t affect in any way ongoing military contracts between Israel and Italy.
Example: Italy isn’t in any way stopping support for the Israeli pilot training fleet (M-346 jet trainers and AW119 helicopters), while Israel isn’t ceasing support for the G550 CAEW radar aircraft that Italy has in service and on order.
20
Thurak02 days ago
+14
> doesn’t affect in any way ongoing military contracts
Of course not. Nations especially in the defence area usually stick to existing contracts.
But new "exchange of military material and technological research between the two armed forces" is probably a lot harder now.
14
realityfractured2 days ago
+36
Meloni halted the automatic renewal of a defense pact with Israel. Bad headline bad.
36
Cpe1592 days ago
+49
Italy halted the automatic renewal a day before the renewal
The pact has not been renewed
The pact is no more
49
Nicosqualo2 days ago
+5
Nah the news are really confusing but it seems that the deal itself was called off (still not easy to understand clearly as it is a deal that is not disclosed to the public, which is insane)
5
suddenstutter3 days ago
+12
Good.
12
yosisoy2 days ago
+4
They had a defense pact? Didn't really hear of any help since October 7
4
Ecsta2 days ago
+13
> An Italian source told Haaretz that Italy halted military-level cooperation with Israel shortly after October 7, 2023, over Israel's war in Gaza
> The source added that Italy does not purchase weapons from Israel, does not sell it weapons and does not conduct joint military training with the IDF.
They've haven't been a partner of Israel in a long time.
13
yosisoy2 days ago
+14
You're in a defensive pact with someone.
They get attacked.
You back out
14
preterintenzionato2 days ago
+2
no we just sell them some weapons. Nothing big but hey good that we' are revalutaing stuff like this
2
Bubbly-Magician--2 days ago
+1
What weapons did Italy sell Israel?
1
yosisoy2 days ago
+5
Exploding tomato sauce
5
chriserit2 days ago
Italy pretty much trains all aircraft pilots inside NATO (and others) including Israel.
They sell helicopters, naval cannons, F35, drones, radars and other classified weaponry no one but the Italian government knows of but it's 11% of the export in terms of money (Italy always keeps these things under secret but the amount of money is always reported because of laws, same is true with Ukraine).
0
utilizador20212 days ago
+3
So, the Righ now decided turn back on Israel?? The other day some far-right politician from Poland also attacked Israel saying they are in their third Reich or something like that.
3
actsfw2 days ago
+4
Much of the right has always hated Jews.
4
zeth0s2 days ago
+12
Not necessarily the case for Meloni. It is mainly due to the war spiking gas prices.
She would have entered gaza peace board if Italian constitution did not prevented Italy entering it
12
LifeOfHi2 days ago
+8
Jews or Israel? Can be very different things and we shouldn’t conflate them if it’s about Israel’s administration.
8
itspronouncedbolonya2 days ago
+2
Both, sometimes just one, sometimes neither, "the right" isn't a monolith
2
SadSecurity2 days ago
-1
Don't play stupid please
-1
Juanbolastristes2 days ago
-4
If you don't support Israel war crimes, you're antisemite
-4
GatorNator832 days ago
Huh, she’s got more balls than Republicans and Democrats combined
0
lushootseed2 days ago
She is the one with the guts...
0
ArchangelZero272 days ago
+8
Wasn't she the only world leader who attended Trump's inauguration?
8
VixensPoppies2 days ago
-10
Good on you ITALY!!
-10
ChaoticSenior2 days ago
-11
Posts like this sure bring out the zionbots.
-11
Rich-Average-83982 days ago
-28
The loss is for her. They need israel more than Israel needs them.
-28
itspronouncedbolonya2 days ago
+2
Thet don't need Israel, and Israel doesn't need them
2
NukedForZenitco2 days ago
+3
Very few countries in the world, if any, need Israel. Plenty need Israel to f*** off and stop bombing kids though.
3
kzzzo32 days ago
Why the focus on kids? There aren’t any wars or conflicts where kids don’t get killed. You know how many kids were killed by the allies in WW2? What a weird way to talk about wars.
0
spacebeez2 days ago
>Why the focus on kids? There aren’t any wars or conflicts where kids don’t get killed.
Weird hill to make your stand on but ok.
0
Rich-Average-83982 days ago
-22
The loss is for her. They need israel more than Israel need them. Israel don’t bombs kids. Only monsters. And they coming here. Now
-22
NukedForZenitco2 days ago
+7
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/children-killed-lebanon-israeli-strikes-hezbollah-9.7164299
They've killed over 170 kids just in Lebanon btw
85 Comments