Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been accused of “complicity in genocide” in a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over Rome’s support for Israel in the Gaza war. Meloni said on Tuesday, October 7th, in comments to Italian state television company RAI that she had been named in a filing by an advocacy group for Palestinians that accused her and others of complicity by supplying arms to Israel.
She said the complaint also targeted her Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. “I don’t think there is another case in the world or in history of a complaint of this kind,” Meloni said in the televised comments.
United Nations investigators have accused Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, where it has been waging war against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas for two years. The ICC currently has arrest warrants outstanding for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. Both face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over Israel’s campaign in Gaza, including starvation, murder and persecution. However, the ICC has not charged either man with genocide. Israel denies accusations that it is committing genocide in the war-torn enclave, where it is seeking to destroy Hamas.
According to Meloni, the complaint filed against her and her ministers was submitted by an advocacy group calling on the ICC to assess the possibility of opening a formal investigation into alleged complicity in genocide. The filing, dated October 1st, was reportedly signed by around 50 people, including law professors, lawyers, and several public figures.
“By supporting the Israeli government, particularly through the supply of lethal weapons, the Italian government has become complicit in the ongoing genocide and the extremely serious war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against the Palestinian people,” wrote the authors of the court filing.
Over the past week, Italy has witnessed large demonstrations, crippling many Italian large cities to protest Israel’s military maneuvers in Gaza, with many protesters also directing anger toward Meloni.
Her right-wing government, traditionally an outspoken supporter of Israel, has recently distanced itself from what it calls a “disproportionate” offensive in Gaza. However, Italy has not cut its commercial or diplomatic ties with Israel, nor has it recognized the state of Palestine, as other Western countries recently did.
Meloni said she was “shocked” over the accusations. ““Anyone who knows the situation is aware that Italy has not authorized new, let’s say, arms supplies to Israel after October 7,” she said.
