Israel's detention of Italian women in West Bank unacceptable says Tajani

(ANSA) - ROME, 23 OTT - Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday blasted Israel for detaining five female Italian activists on Thursday in the West Bank village of al-Bweib while they were accompanying Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. "We demand the immediate release of the five Italian women detained by the Israeli Defense Forces," Tajani said in Istanbul, where he is taking part in the 4+4 ministerial meeting with his counterparts from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt. "We hope they can be sent back to Italy in the coming hours. What happened is unacceptable; they were not committing any crime". Tajani also criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement of the "total closure" of the West Bank after an attack by Palestinian gunmen in which two Israeli soldiers were killed. "We do not agree (with it)," he said. "We support the Palestinian people in their dream of finally having a State and living in peace alongside Israel—which must have its own security guaranteed. "However, pounding the Palestinian population—especially peaceful Christian villages—is not the way to resolve the issue of Israel's security. "Hamas must be disarmed, stability must be established in Gaza, and terrorists must be neutralized through complete disarmament—this is a crucial—but we cannot overlook the importance of bringing a Palestinian State into existence." (ANSA).
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