Italy’s Defence Minister talks Middle East: Engagement with Syria's new rulers and stricter stance on Houthis

Guido Crosetto tells The National his country is working with the UAE to prevent regional crises escalating

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Italy’s Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto has marked the arrival of a historic Italian Navy ship in Abu Dhabi, part of a three-year global voyage, with his own visit.

However, his trip to the Middle East carries weightier matters, following a year of conflicts that have devastated several countries while setting the stage to reshape the region forever.

In an exclusive interview with The National in Abu Dhabi, Mr Crosetto outlined his country’s strategies for addressing conflicts across Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen and beyond. He also praised the strong relationship with the UAE, highlighting its vital role in preventing crises and fostering peace.

“The security of this region also determines Italy's security,” he said, after 93-year-old tall ship the Amerigo Vespucci made a splash as it docked at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal at Mina Zayed, beginning its five-day visit.

Italy’s defence contributions, including peacekeeping missions and training local forces, are highly respected across the Middle East.

In Lebanon, its peacekeepers have faced significant risks during the battles between Israel and Hezbollah before a ceasefire was reached last month. Stationed as part of the UN Interim Force In Lebanon, they were caught in the crossfire of one of the region’s most intense wars.

“We must prevent Lebanon from relapsing into war with Israel,” said the minister. “This is why, along with the United Arab Emirates and other countries, we are trying to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces.”

The agreement that halted the devastating war involves a 60-day truce, during which Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw north of the Litani River and Israeli troops draw down from the south of Lebanon. The truce, based on UN resolution 1701, which brought a war between Hezbollah and Israel to an end in 2006, also requires the Lebanese army to increase its presence in the south.

We will engage in dialogue with this new Syrian government.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto

According to Lebanese officials, there have been more than 300 Israeli violations since the agreement was signed on November 27 – including new deep incursions into different areas of southern Lebanon.

Mr Crosetto said Italy and other countries have been reminding all parties daily that violations must not occur. “But since I remember what was happening just weeks ago, I accept some violations in the hope they become zero. Even a difficult truce is better than the open war we had weeks ago.”

He argued that Unifil peacekeepers need better rules of engagement to implement resolution 1701 and protect the ceasefire.

A Unifil vehicle at a UN base on the border between Israel and Lebanon, viewed from the Israeli side of the boundary. EPA

“We asked the UN a year and a half ago to change Unifil’s rules of engagement because the existing ones did not allow us to implement resolution 1701,” explained Mr Crosetto. “Now, together with Spain, we are strongly advocating for changes to these rules of engagement. Only with a strong Unifil operating alongside robust Lebanese armed forces we can prevent further incursions from Israel. It is not up to us alone, it is up to the UN; the rules must be clearly established.”

To support the Lebanese army in its challenging new mission, there must be training, education, financing, and the provision of necessary materials and equipment to the Lebanese Armed Forces. These are “the only ways to give Lebanon lasting stability by building strong, organised and impartial armed forces”.

He also warned that the Lebanese society “has a precarious” balance. “Every element can trigger a civil war, as well as war with Israel. We must prevent this at all costs.”

Dialogue with Syria's government

In neighbouring Syria, the sudden collapse of former president Bashar Al Assad's regime three weeks ago sent shockwaves across Lebanon and the region. The rebels are led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, which is made up mainly of groups from the extremist organisation Jabhat Al Nusra. It broke ties with Al Qaeda in 2016 and rebranded itself, after a purge undertaken by the group's leader Ahmad Al Shara, formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed Al Jawlani.

The UN, along with countries such as the US, has designated HTS as a terrorist organisation. Despite this, EU, US, and Arab officials have engaged with its new leadership, evaluating their plans and commitments to establish an inclusive regime and ensure the protection of all sects and minorities.

Italy is the only western nation with an embassy in Damascus.

“We will engage in dialogue with this new Syrian government. We hope that their declarations are sincere and that it will be a government that respects cultural and religious differences,” said the Italian minister. “We appreciated their decision not to fight Al Assad’s armed forces but rather to pardon them, demonstrating great humanity. We will judge them based on their actions.”

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in Abu Dhabi. He praised Italy's historic ties with the UAE. Photo: Italian Ministry of Defence

Stressing the importance of the Turkish role in Syria, he added that Anakara was asked “to help ensure there are no negative effects in neighbouring nations”.

“We do not know what the future holds, but we know that we cannot allow a situation where a state becomes an ISIS state again. We know it cannot become an element that increases conflict in that region of the world. We must also be mindful of the effects this could have on Kurdistan region, Iraq, and Lebanon.”

One of the primary issues in Europe in recent years has been migration, including many people fleeing the civil war in Syria.

Mr Crosetto stated that now it seems there is a reverse trend, with Syrians returning to their home country, adding that this “could be a positive development. Europe is evaluating to reduce sanctions and could make positive moves if this government takes positive steps. We want to extend trust.”

In Yemen, the situation is even more complicated.

Along with Hezbollah in Lebanon and armed groups in Iraq, the Houthi rebels, who have controlled large parts of the war-torn country for years, form part of the so-called “Axis of Resistance”, an anti-Israel political and military coalition in the Middle East, led by Tehran.

They have been targeting ships in the Red Sea, disrupting shipping lanes, and launching missiles at Israel. In response, the US, UK, and Israel have carried out strikes in Yemen, but the rebels have pledged to continue their attacks until a ceasefire is achieved in Gaza. The EU has also set up a maritime mission to curb their attacks.

Even if the war stops, the Houthis have shown they have become a long-term threat.

I am convinced that Hamas is militarily almost destroyed

Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto

“The international community needs to adopt a stricter approach. If they do not reconsider their position and stop using their location to attack commercial shipping and other countries’ vessels, tougher decisions will need to be made,” argued the minister, without elaborating on what those decisions may be.

He said that in the coming months, “we must explain to Iran that it cannot use terrorist groups in every country to wage war. We must create conditions for co-existence. This issue applies to the Houthis and other groups or nations”. However, for now, “we pursue truces and peace, understanding that permanent resolution is a long-term challenge”.

Ceasefire for Gaza

As the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel holds, despite breaches, and Syria's security situation remains relatively stable, despite clashes between rebels and former regime loyalists, the conflict that ignited regional tensions continues to rage in Gaza.

More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since October last year, according to the local health authorities, following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 abducted. Almost 15 months later, Hamas has not been eradicated, dozens of hostages still remain in captivity and efforts towards a ceasefire continue to face significant challenges.

“I am convinced that Hamas is militarily almost destroyed. For months, I have been urging Israel to change its approach to Gaza,” said Mr Crosetto. He added that Italy has been asked, through Italy's gendarmerie – the Carabinieri – to train future Palestinian police forces, and that his country is willing to help in this process.

“I hope there will be some positive news in the coming days, with a potential exchange of prisoners and hostages that could lead to a ceasefire. I work every day to ensure a truce.”

When asked if Italy would participate in a peacekeeping mission in Gaza if proposed, the minister affirmed that “whether in Gaza, Lebanon, or Ukraine, any progress towards peace requires a multinational security force, and Italy is ready to contribute to peace”.

To prevent crises and ensure peace in the Middle East, Mr Crosetto said his country is working closely with the UAE to achieve that goal.

“We are working together to build Lebanese armed forces, a future in Palestine, and security in Syria. There is continuous collaboration in Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and elsewhere.”

“We have restored the friendship that has existed between Italy and the Emirates for decades from every perspective, including military co-operation and defence,” he added, as he explained that this relationship “was interrupted under the previous government, but we still remember what the Emirates have done with us for years”.

“The potential enemies of the United Arab Emirates in this area are the same as Italy’s. Therefore, only by working together we can prevent further crises and ensure stability and security.”