Italian foreign minister says it's 'wrong' to ban non-violent pro-Palestinian protests

GENEVA

The Italian foreign minister on Sunday said that it is "wrong" to ban non-violent demonstrations, referring to France's ban on pro-Palestinian protests.

Each country makes its own decision, but "banning demonstrations that are not violent, I don't think it's the right thing," Antonio Tajani told Italian radio station RTL.

"As long as there is no alarm that (a march) could degenerate, as long as (the demonstrations) are peaceful, democracy can be demonstrated. Just as you demonstrate in favor of Israel, you can demonstrate in favor of Palestine if someone wants it," he added.

In a separate statement, Tajani also said that he spoke with his Tunisian counterpart Nabil Ammar.

"We agreed on the need to work for peace and regional stability, activating humanitarian corridors to protect the weakest starting with women and children," he said on X, adding he will pay a visit to Tunis on Friday.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, through a directive he sent to provincial authorities, ordered a ban on all pro-Palestinian rallies and arrest of their organizers on Thursday. He said such rallies could disturb public order.

Last weekend, in a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israeli forces launched a sustained military push against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening living conditions in an area that has endured a crippling siege since 2007, as well as ordering more than 1 million Gazans in the northern strip to evacuate to the southern part.