Italy pledges millions to support Palestinians at Rome meeting

Rome: Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Rome would provide new funding of around €35 million for the Palestinian population.

Five million euros will go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the other 30 million will be allocated to the ‘Food for Gaza’ initiative.

Israel previously accused UNRWA of collaborating with Hamas during the October 7 attack. However, no evidence to support this claim has been provided, according to a UN report.

At the meeting, Tajani said Italy believes in a two-state solution within the framework of a wider political process leading to peace.

“Unilateral initiatives are not helpful to the solution of the conflict because the main goal is a peace that leads to the creation of a Palestinian State, that recognises Israel and that is recognised,” said Tajani.

First proposed by the UN in 1947, the two-state solution involves creating two separate nations: one for the Jewish people (Israel), and one for Palestinians (Palestine). This would involve dividing the land, with each state having its own government and sovereignty. The goal is to allow both groups to live side by side peacefully and independently.

Italy has already provided two separate aid packages of €20 million to Palestine.