Italy Summons Israeli Ambassador After Suspected Settler Threatens Officers in Ramallah
Italy’s Foreign Ministry announced Monday that it had summoned Israel’s ambassador to Rome after two Italian police officers were reportedly threatened and stopped at gunpoint near the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, according to Reuters.
The ministry statement said that a suspected settler armed with an automatic rifle stopped two carabinieri officers from Italy’s consulate general in Jerusalem while they were passing by a Palestinian territory near Ramallah.
In response, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani requested Israel’s ambassador to Rome to be summoned on Monday, seeking explanation and formally lodging Italy’s protest over Sunday’s incident.
“Italian authorities expressed to the Israeli ambassador their strong disapproval and protest regarding the incident,” a subsequent statement added.
The ministry added that the incident was also taken to reiterate the government’s mounting concerns over the acts of violent settlers in the West Bank.
Violence in West Bank
Violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has been growing since the Hamas attack of October 2023 with increasing number of killings and attacks by settlers and security forces.
OHCHR noted that settlers have launched more than 757 attacks on Palestinians or their properties since January 2025.
All Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. However, approximately 1 million Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law. Meanwhile, settler outposts are also prohibited under Israeli law.
Related Topics:
France Condemns Israeli Settler Violence as ‘Terrorism’
Palestinians Protest against Settler Outpost at West Bank
UN Rights Office Reports Increasing Settler Attacks in Occupied West Bank
