Thank you, Madame President,
Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and its Member States and wish to offer the following remarks in our national capacity.
The Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace marked a pivotal moment for the Middle East.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the liberation of the hostages and the resumption of humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip bring us a step closer to peace.
These remarkable progresses have been made possible by the Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza Conflict put forward by President Trump.
Italy strongly supports the US initiative and is ready to contribute to its full implementation. We call on all parties to respect the agreements.
Hamas must cease its rule over Gaza, as it cannot play any role in the future of Palestine.
Italy will continue to support the Palestinian Authority and its program of reforms, with a view to realize Palestinian statehood and the unification of Gaza and West Bank.
In the meantime, it is urgent to enhance humanitarian assistance in close coordination with the United Nations and international civil society organizations.
In the last two years, the Italian Government has stepped up efforts at the benefit of the civilian population in Gaza, in close coordination with regional partners.
Italy has been at the forefront of the humanitarian response, sending critical aid with the Food for Gaza initiative and evacuating 196 Palestinian young patients, along with their families, for medical treatment.
We are ready to expand our efforts for the reconstruction of Gaza, with a focus on health. In this spirit, in the coming weeks we will co-convene the international conference that Egypt is organizing on this issue.
As we witnessed in the last two weeks, the ceasefire is fragile and the situation extremely volatile, also due to violence spreading between Hamas and other armed groups.
The deployment of an International Stabilization Force can make a huge difference.
Italy will contribute to this mission, in line with our longstanding commitment to security in the area and our role in the High-Level Conference on the two-State solution.
We believe that a clear mandate of the Security Council would give legitimacy to this force, opening up to the contribution of the Arab States and the entire UN Membership.
We call on the Security Council members to adopt such a Resolution, in order to allow us to move forward with the US 20-point plan.
Peace in Gaza is a unique opportunity for regional stability that we cannot miss. Never before have the countries of the Middle East seemed so interconnected.
Last year brought major developments: namely, the fall of the Assad regime and the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which helped break the political deadlock.
We are now called upon to support Syria and Lebanon in meeting the challenges ahead.
In Syria, Italy supports an inclusive and peaceful political process to achieve, through the active participation of all components of Syrian society, the recovery of the Country.
Internal and external factors threaten Syria’s unity and stability: we welcomed the roadmap announced by Damascus, with the US and Jordan, to address the crisis in Suwayda and we support the implementation of the agreement with the SDF.
We hope that Syria would be soon ready to join the international fight against terrorism.
Turning to Lebanon, to ensure institutional strengthening is key. Italy will not fail to help the Lebanese authorities stabilise the Country and undertake critical reforms.
Respect for the ceasefire on both sides of the Blue Line, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the monopoly of the State over the holding of weapons are essential parts of it.
At the head of UNIFIL for the fifth time, Italy will continue to strengthen the Lebanese forces, in order to facilitate their full redeployment in line with UNSC Resolution 1701.
For Italy, there is a real chance to achieve a positive transformation in the entire region.
We remain steadfast in our belief that dialogue, inclusiveness, and multilateral cooperation are the only viable foundations for a lasting peace in the Middle East.
The road ahead is challenging, but the window of opportunity is real. The international community and the UN have a role to play in helping overcome divisions and build a future of shared security, mutual recognition, and hope.
Thank you.
