Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani criticized Israel on Tuesday, saying the war it
is waging on Hamas following the October 7 massacres is causing
too many civilian victims.
"At this stage Israel's reaction has become disproportionate,"
Tajani told Radio1.
"There are too many victims who have nothing to do with Hamas".
The minister called on Israel to "avoid reprisals against the
Palestinian civilian population".
Tajani also spoke about the furore that erupted over the weekend
after an Italian singer, Ghali, made an appeal to 'Stop
Genocide' at the end of his performance on the final night of
the Sanremo Song Festival.
The appeal angered Israel's Ambassador to Italy Alon Bar, who
said that the festival had been used to spread hate.
The led to a statement by being read out by veteran TV presenter
Mara Venier on Sunday on a show by State broadcaster Rai, which
screens Sanremo, written by CEO Roberto Sergio that referred to
the atrocities committed in the October 7 attacks and the plight
of the hostages taken by Hamas.
The statement itself was accused of making no reference to the
suffering of Palestinians.
Tajani told Radio1 that Venier's intervention had restored
"balance".
"I do not believe there is genocide (being committed in Gaza),"
he said.
"Israel is certainly in the wrong because it is causing too many
civilian victims.
"We must aim to free the hostages and ensure that the violence
of the Israeli attacks ceases".
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