Italy’s foreign minister says recognition of Palestine is close but with conditions

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday that his country’s recognition of the state of Palestine is closer, but it is difficult to say when as there must be ‘no weapons, no Hamas’ in the Strip.

“We cannot have a dialogue with Hamas," but "we believe in the Palestinian National Authority which is a very serious authority,” he said while speaking at the ongoing Med Dialogues in Naples, according to the Italian news agency Ansa.

He also pointed out to a planned trip by the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas to Italy in November.

Speaking about the current phase in Gaza, Tajani said that enhancing security in the Strip is a priority for reconstruction.