GENEVA

Leader of the Italian opposition 5-Star Movement has called on Italy and the European Union to go “beyond words” and impose an arms embargo against Israel in response to the recent escalation in Israeli violence in the Middle East.

“After the shooting on the bases where Italian soldiers of the UNIFIL mission are stationed, now Israeli tanks are raiding UN bases,” Giuseppe Conte said Sunday on social media platform X. He questioned: “When will people open their eyes and decide to stop the war crimes of the Netanyahu government?”

“Have 12 months of systematic extermination of the Palestinian population and meticulous destruction of Gaza not been enough? Are the invasions and deaths in Lebanon, and the attacks on our bases, not enough?” Conte asked.

Emphasizing that his movement has been advocating for action for months, Conte added, “When will the Italian government and European institutions decide on an arms embargo on Israel, on economic and commercial sanctions, and on measures that go beyond words?”

Conte also called for decisive steps to halt the violence. “Let’s stop Netanyahu’s madness; let’s make serious decisions to impose a cease-fire and achieve a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine,” he urged.

Regional tensions have intensified following Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 42,300 people, mostly women and children, since a Hamas attack last year. The conflict has expanded to Lebanon, where Israeli strikes since Sept. 23 have reportedly killed more than 1,488 people and injured nearly 4,300 others.

Despite international warnings that the Middle East region was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching on Oct. 1 a ground incursion into southern Lebanon.