AFP, Rome

Italy has suspended its defence agreement with Israel, which involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and diplomatic sources said yesterday.

“In view of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,” Meloni said on the sidelines of an event in Verona, according to Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI.

An Italian diplomatic source confirmed to AFP that the agreement had been suspended, saying: “It would have been politically difficult to keep it going.”

Approved by Israel in 2006, the agreement is reviewed every five years.

It calls for cooperation across defence industries,

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