Italy summons Israeli ambassador over Ramallah gun threat

Members of Israeli security forces patrol along a street during a military raid in the neighbourhood of Kafr Aqab near Ramallah on Monday. (AFP)
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Updated 26 January 2026
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Italy summons Israeli ambassador over Ramallah gun threat

  • Italian foreign ministry says two of its police officers were threatened at gunpoint

ROME: The Italian government said Monday it was summoning the Israeli ambassador to Rome after two of its police officers were threatened at gunpoint near Ramallah.
The two carabinieri officers, stationed at Italy’s consulate general in Jerusalem, “were stopped in Palestinian territory, near Ramallah, probably by a ‘settler’ under the threat of an automatic rifle,” a foreign ministry statement said.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani requested the ambassador be summoned “to seek clarification” and confirm Italy’s “strong protest” over Sunday’s incident, the ministry said.
Italy’s embassy in Tel Aviv had lodged a formal protest over the incident, the ministry added.


US envoy calls for ceasefire deal in northeastern Syria to be maintained

Updated 58 min 14 sec ago
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US envoy calls for ceasefire deal in northeastern Syria to be maintained

  • Tom Barrack, ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy for Syria, reiterates Washington’s support for Jan. 18 integration agreement between Syria’s government and Syrian Democratic Forces

LONDON: Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy for Syria, on Monday reiterated Washington’s desire to ensure the ceasefire agreement in northeastern Syria between Syria’s government and the Syrian Democratic Forces continues.

In a message posted on social media platform X, he wrote: “Productive phone call this evening with his excellency Masoud Barzani to discuss the situation in Syria and the importance of maintaining the ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian assistance to those in need, especially in Kobani.”

Barzani has been the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party since 1979, and served as president of Kurdistan region between 2005 and 2017.

The current present, Nechirvan Barzani, previously welcomed a recent decree by the Syrian president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, officially recognizing the Kurdish population as an integral part of the country.

Barrack reiterated Washington’s support for efforts to advance the Jan. 18 agreement between Syria’s government and the SDF to integrate the latter into state institutions. The SDF is a Kurdish-led faction led by Mazloum Abdi that operates in northeastern Syria and recently clashed with government forces.

On Saturday, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the Syrian Ministry of Defense had announced a 15-day extension of the ceasefire deal.