Italy names destruction of Jesus Christ statue in Lebanon “shameful”
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani described as “shameful” the act of an Israeli army soldier who was filmed destroying a statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon, stating that insulting religious symbols is a sign of weakness, not strength.
Speaking at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, Tajani told Italian journalists that some EU member states had proposed suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement either fully or partially, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.
He recalled that the proposal to suspend the trade agreement with Israel had been definitively set aside, and that possible future steps would be discussed at the next ministerial meeting on May 11.
Tajani said Italy has stopped the automatic renewal of its defense memorandum with Israel, adding: “We are applying pressure, but this pressure should be directed at the government, not civilians. Our approach is different from Spain’s, which we do not consider the right path. Our position is the same as Germany’s.”
He added that instead of suspending the EU-Israel agreement, it would be better to impose sanctions on violent illegal settlers, condemning their actions in the West Bank and stressing opposition to any Israeli annexation of West Bank territory.
Referring again to the incident in southern Lebanon’s Deyr Seryan, where a statue of Jesus was destroyed, Tajani said: “We are concerned about these shameful acts. This is a crime against the entire Christian world. Insulting religious symbols is not a sign of strength, but of weakness.”
He also emphasized the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, calling for faster progress toward agreements following the ceasefire, including between Iran and the United States in Islamabad and between Lebanon and Israel in Washington.
Tajani stressed that reopening maritime routes is crucial due to rising costs of fertilizers, oil, and gas, saying economic stability depends on accelerating diplomatic agreements.
