Italy does not recognize the State of Palestine — but 87.8% of Italians support this recognition, according to an Izi survey from September 2025. On September 22, 2025, while France was recognizing Palestine at the UN, hundreds of thousands of Italians took to the streets in 80 cities to "denounce the genocide in Gaza" during a national general strike. On October 4, a million people marched in Rome. The contradiction is total: the government of Giorgia Meloni, one of the most pro-Israel in Europe, faces a civil society in open rebellion, dockers refusing to load weapons, armament factories occupied by protesters. Italy is experiencing one of the most intense moments of popular mobilization in its recent history — for Palestine.
For the countries that have chosen official recognition, see our article on which countries support Palestine. And for companies linked to Israeli armaments, some of which have facilities in Italy, read our file on companies that support Israel.
What is the history of relations between Italy and Palestine?
The history of relations between Italy and Palestine is marked by a fundamental ambiguity: constant verbal support for the two-state solution, without ever taking the step of official recognition. Italy is one of the first countries to have established relations with the Palestinian Authority after the Oslo Accords of 1993. It has contributed for decades to UNRWA and to humanitarian organizations active in Palestinian territories. It verbally supports the creation of a Palestinian state — but, like the United Kingdom until 2025, conditions this recognition on the outcome of a negotiated peace process.
Italy also maintains significant economic and military ties with Israel. Leonardo, the defense and aerospace giant in which the Italian State holds 30% of the capital, has cooperation contracts with the Israeli military industry. According to revelations by the newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano in October 2025, weapons orders signed before October 7, 2023 had been fulfilled after the start of the war in Gaza — in contradiction with official statements by Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani, who had stated in January 2025 that no new contracts had been signed since October 7. The ports of Genoa and Livorno were identified by activists as transit points for armaments to Israel, which triggered blocking actions by dockers.
Italy's presence in Palestine is also cultural and humanitarian: Italy co-finances development projects in the West Bank, participates in the EUBAM mission in Rafah (European observers at the border between Gaza and Egypt) and has a consular representation network in Jerusalem and a representation with the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
What is Giorgia Meloni's position on Palestine and Israel?
Since coming to power in October 2022, Giorgia Meloni has adopted a clearly pro-Israel line — the most pronounced among major European democracies. After October 7, 2023, she expressed her support for "Israel's right to defend itself" without reservation, and maintained this position despite the scale of destruction in Gaza. In 2024, the Meloni government was one of the few in Europe not to explicitly condemn Israeli strikes on densely populated civilian areas, not to call for a ceasefire, and not to suspend arms deliveries.
In July 2025, 35 former Italian ambassadors signed an open letter to Meloni, calling on her to immediately recognize the State of Palestine, to suspend all military cooperation with Israel and to support European sanctions. Meloni did not respond directly. On September 22, 2025, as France, the United Kingdom and Portugal recognized Palestine at the UN, Meloni was in New York for the General Assembly. She announced Italy's support for certain European sanctions against Israel — but did not recognize Palestine. Facing intense popular pressure, the following day September 23, 2025, she declared: "I am not opposed to the recognition of Palestine, but we must give ourselves the right priorities." She conditioned recognition on two criteria: the release of hostages held by Hamas and the exclusion of Hamas from any Palestinian government. In October 2025, Meloni described Israeli strikes as "disproportionate" for the first time — a significant shift in tone.
This evolution reflects the pressure of public opinion. According to the Izi survey of September 2025, 87.8% of Italians are in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state — and this rate remains 73% among voters of Meloni's own government coalition. "For a government that presents itself as the direct expression of popular sovereignty, these numbers matter", notes the newspaper La Stampa.
Why did Italy experience a wave of strikes and demonstrations for Gaza in 2025?
Autumn 2025 marked a turning point in the Italian mobilization for Palestine. The immediate trigger: the interception by the Israeli navy of the World Flotilla Sumud in October 2025. Among the activists arrested were four Italians, members of the Alliance of Greens and the Left and the Five Star Movement — their detention aroused immediate national indignation.
But the mobilization had begun long before. On September 22, 2025, during a national general strike called by several grassroots unions (USB, SI Cobas), hundreds of thousands of people marched in nearly 80 Italian cities. In Milan, protesters invaded the central train station. In Rome, they blocked the ring road. In Venice, activists denounced at the port the departure of ships carrying weapons. In Florence, protesters briefly occupied a weapons factory supplying Israel. Police used water cannons in Venice and Bologna. On October 3, a new general strike was called. On October 4, 2025, Rome was the scene of a million-person demonstration — one of the largest in Italy's recent history.
The demands were clear: ceasefire in Gaza, recognition of the State of Palestine, end of arms shipments from Italian ports, sanctions against Israel. Dockers in Genoa, Livorno, Ancona and other Adriatic ports took direct action, refusing to load or unload ships linked to trade with Israel. More than 230 Italian lawyers and jurists signed a declaration describing Italy's military cooperation with Israel as "clear participation in extermination and murder", contrary to international law and the Italian Constitution.
The intensity of this mobilization surprised observers in a country said to be "inward-looking" since Meloni's arrival. It testifies to a deep fracture between the government and a large part of the population — and to an Italian tradition of solidarity with oppressed peoples, inherited from the labor movement and the anti-colonial struggles of the 20th century.
Will Italy recognize Palestine?
In September 2025, Meloni announced that her coalition parties would present a motion to Parliament for the recognition of Palestine — conditionally. The motion had not yet been voted at the time this article was published. The center-left opposition is pushing for recognition without prior conditions, considering that the government is "on the wrong side of history". The Emilia-Romagna region, led by the Democratic Party, broke its institutional relations with Israel in May 2025 — a decision at regional level, illustrating the growing pressure on the central government.
Italy remains, along with Germany and Austria, one of the few major European countries not yet to have recognized Palestine at the time of writing this article. But the dynamic is changing rapidly under popular and diplomatic pressure.
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Sources
— Euronews, Meloni announces a motion for the recognition of the State of Palestine with two conditions, September 2025.
— The Times of Israel, At the UN, Meloni announces Italy's support for EU sanctions against Israel, September 2025.
— Euronews, General strike: demonstrations in Italian cities against the war in Gaza, September 2025.
— Le Devoir, Tens of thousands of Italians in the streets to denounce the genocide in Gaza, September 2025.
— Orient XXI, Despite official policy, an unprecedented wave of solidarity for Gaza sweeps Italy, November 2025.
— WSWS, Mass demonstrations and general strike for Gaza in Italy, October 2025.
Your frequently asked questions about Italy and Palestine
Does Italy recognize the State of Palestine?
No, not yet. In September 2025, Giorgia Meloni announced that her coalition would present a motion to Parliament for the recognition of Palestine, under two conditions: the release of hostages held by Hamas and the exclusion of Hamas from any Palestinian government. The motion had not yet been voted at the time this article was written. Italy remains, along with Germany and Austria, among the few major European countries not to have recognized Palestine.
What is the Italian public's opinion on recognizing Palestine?
According to an Izi survey of September 2025, 87.8% of Italians are in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state. This rate remains 73% among voters of Meloni's government coalition — illustrating the deep gap between the government and public opinion on this issue.
What happened during the Italian general strikes for Gaza in 2025?
On September 22, 2025, during a national general strike, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in nearly 80 Italian cities. In Milan, protesters invaded the central train station. In Venice, they blocked the port. On October 4, 2025, a million people marched in Rome — one of the largest demonstrations in Italy's recent history. Dockers at several ports refused to load ships linked to trade with Israel.
Does Italy supply weapons to Israel?
Antonio Tajani, the Foreign Affairs Minister, stated in January 2025 that no new arms contracts had been signed with Israel since October 7, 2023. But revelations by the newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano in October 2025 showed that orders placed before October 7 had been fulfilled. Activists also denounced the transit of armaments through the ports of Genoa and Livorno.
Does Boutique Palestine deliver to Italy?
Yes, Boutique Palestine delivers to Italy with free shipping, in 5 to 8 business days. All our Palestinian products are available for Italian customers.