(Adnkronos) – Recognising a Palestinian state that doesn’t yet exist is “legal fiction”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday, underlining that Italy continues to back a peace process leading to a two-state solution to the long-running conflict with Israel.
“We are in favour of recognising Palestine, but the conditions for the existence of a Palestinian state don’t (currently) exist,” Tajani told reporters at the parliament.
“We need to build one, and we are working to do so,” he continued.
“Constitutional law stipulates the conditions for a state and they don’t exist yet. I underlined that we need an Arab-led United Nations mission,” Tajani added.
“We are ready to send our military to reunify Palestine. Once Palestine (the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip) is reunified, we will recognize the state,” he said.
Italy’s government is in contact with the Palestinian Authority and its foreign minister will visit Italy in September, Tajani noted.
Tajani urged Gaza’s ruling Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to release the remaining 7 October Israeli hostages it is holding “immediately and unconditionally” and to accept an agreement with Israel to let humanitarian aid to freely enter the war-ravaged coastal enclave.
The minister called Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan for a complete military takeover of Gaza for the first time in decades “a grave mistake”.
Commenting on France’s and the United Kingdom’s announcements they will recognise Palestine in the coming weeks, Tajani said: “They can do what they want.”
Palestine is currently recognised as a state by 147 of the UN’s 193 member states and has permanent observer status at the world body, allowing participation but no voting rights.
When the UK and France recognise Palestine, it will have the support of four out of five of the UN Security Council’s permanent members, leaving Israel’s most powerful backer – the United States – in a minority of one.
