Italy region of Emilia-Romagna severs Israel ties over Gaza massacres

The Italian region of Emilia-Romagna has announced it will sever relations with Israel in response to its military onslaught on the Gaza Strip, and is encouraging other regions in the country to follow suite.

Michele De Pascale, the region’s president, called for cutting ties with representatives of the Israeli government unless they openly declare "a will to end to the ongoing massacre until respect for international law is restored", according to Italian media on Saturday.

De Pascale cited Israel’s heightened violence in the Palestinian enclave, which has killed over 4,300 Palestinians since 18 March following Israel's ending of a ceasefire in the territory, as well as the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, Italian media reported on Saturday.

"Each of us is called to do what is within our possibilities, in full compliance with the laws and constitutional competences, to contribute to stopping the ongoing violence," he said.

De Pascale, however, stressed that his position concerns the current Israeli government, not the Israeli people, followers of the Jewish faith, or the Jewish communities present in the northern Italian region.

He recalled that the region "has vigorously promoted peace between Israelis and Palestinians, while also condemning the 7 October 2023 attack, and urging the release of captives held in the Palestinian enclave.

De Pascale’s decision comes as the Italian region of Puglia also sent a similar letter to the remainder of the country’s regions, declaring a decision to cut ties with Israel.

On Thursday, Puglia President Michele Emiliano announced on X that the southern region had cut ties with Netanyahu’s government "due to the ongoing genocide of the defenceless", and will cut economic, diplomatic and cultural ties with Tel Aviv.

Italy’s right-wing populist leadership has been a vocal supporter of Israel amid the war in the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 54,300 Palestinians since 7 October 2023. However, such a stance has begun to shift in recent weeks, with politicians increasingly criticising Israel’s conduct.

Last week, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani joined counterparts from France, the UK, Canada and Germany in calling for an end to atrocities in the Palestinian enclave, and urged the entry of humanitarian aid in the Strip.

"The legitimate reaction of the Israeli government to a terrible and senseless act of terrorism is unfortunately taking absolutely dramatic and unacceptable forms, which we call on Israel to stop immediately," he said last week while speaking in parliament.