Analysis
The flotilla escorts changed, but the government’s line has not: ‘It’s not an escort’
Italian vessels helping the aid flotillas change, but the mission is the same. ‘Italian naval units are not performing escort duties, nor will they leave international waters if the flotilla decides to force the Israeli blockade.’
There’s been a change of guard around the Sumud Flotilla: the Italian mission of keeping an eye – from a distance – on the civilian vessels sailing to Gaza will no longer be performed by the frigate Fasan, which was stationed near Crete, but another missile frigate, the Alpino.
The replacement is only for technical reasons, while the substance of the mission remains the same, as Defense Minister Guido Crosetto reiterated on Thursday morning, first in the Chamber of Deputies and then in the Senate: “It is a ship sent to intervene, if necessary, to rescue our citizens. It is not an act of war, it is not a provocative act; it is an act of humanity, a duty of the state toward its citizens, and its presence does not depend on the fact that there are members of parliament on board,” he said.
In short, “Italian naval units are not performing escort duties, nor will they leave international waters if the flotilla decides to force the Israeli blockade. On the contrary, one of our objectives is to avert such an eventuality and avoid potentially negative consequences.”
This is the central point of the matter, which remains quite ambiguous. Despite the strong suspicions about the identity of the culprit, the attacks on the flotilla have taken place in international waters and have not been claimed by any party. Therefore, any intervention by the Alpino would be subject to the same rules of engagement as an anti-piracy mission. This, of course, would no longer apply the moment the Flotilla enters a country’s territorial waters.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with the Ministry of Defense, has already offered a concrete solution to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid and has ensured the presence of a military ship in the vicinity, ready to provide assistance and rescue,” Crosetto added, referring to the option of leaving the aid in Cyprus, an offer the Flotilla has already rejected. “However, it remains essential that the Flotilla does not attempt to force the blockade,” the minister stressed. “Putting human lives at risk in waters where it would not be possible to intervene to rescue them would make no sense and would cause unnecessary danger.” This final addendum is a classic Crosetto turn of phrase: an allusive, unspoken hint at what might or might not happen.
Later, surrounded by reporters in the Senate, he posed a rhetorical question: “Did you notice there were no new attacks last night?” A question he was keen to answer himself: “It means that during the day, someone took action to prevent it. The things that happen between states are mostly things you don’t see, and when nothing happens, it means good work has been done.”
From the opposition, M5S leader Giuseppe Conte was keen to highlight the apparent divergence between the defense minister’s apparently conciliatory position and Prime Minister Meloni’s overtly hostile one towards the Flotilla: “Crosetto has shown more responsibility than the irresponsible statements made yesterday by President Meloni,” Conte said. “However, he is wrong to imply that the Flotilla is heading for Israeli waters, because those are Palestinian waters.”
Crosetto had already tried to offer his own explanation in the Senate: “My position in the Chamber was interpreted as different from that of the Prime Minister, who said she was fed up with the political exploitation of the issue. I think she meant that words like ‘you share responsibility for the genocide’ aren’t helpful for the Italian government to do its job. The Prime Minister, like myself and Minister Tajani, does not believe she holds any share of responsibility for the Netanyahu government’s actions toward Gaza.”
Thus, according to him, it’s a difference in tone rather than in substance. But one must wonder why Meloni seemed so on edge as she launched her broadsides from New York. These are the mysteries of politics that hint at the unfathomable nature of the human psyche. Or perhaps this partial repositioning by the government toward a less pro-Israel stance than the usual should be read as an acknowledgment of the popular mood after Monday’s protests. It’s hard to ignore hundreds of thousands of people protesting for Gaza, and claiming they were actually demonstrating against Meloni’s government seems unwise, as that would be a stunning testament to her government’s unpopularity – something that isn’t currently borne out by the polls.
Originally published at https://ilmanifesto.it/cambia-la-nave-non-cambia-la-linea-non-e-una-scorta on 2025-09-26