Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani on Friday spoke out for the safety of Italian
soldiers after the Israeli army on Thursday hit Italian UNIFIL
bases in southern Lebanon.
"Hands off Italian soldiers, they are not Hezbollah militants",
said Tajani, speaking in Turin where he was attending a meeting
with Regional Governor Alberto Cirio and associations of
category on the economic impact of the Frejus landslide and the
closure of the Mont-Blanc tunnel.
"No Italian soldiers were injured in the attacks on the UNIFIL
bases", said Tajani.
"Italian soldiers are safe, but we don't want the situation to
deteriorate", he added.
Tajani went on to say that Italian military personnel deployed
with UNIFIL - including about 1,200 soldiers - "have always
guaranteed with great respect for the rules, working for peace,
a situation that would also enable the Israeli civilian
population to be safeguarded.
"They did their duty, we stand by them, we are following what is
going on minute by minute", added the foreign minister.
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