Netanyahu Meets With PM of Italy, a ‘Natural Bridge for Europe’

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By JTA August 30, 2015

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Italian counterpart, Matteo Renzi, in Florence, and thanked him for his recent “historic” speech in Israel’s Knesset.

The meeting Saturday night took place in Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s City Hall, and focused on international concerns including Islamic terrorism and the Iran nuclear deal, and on bilateral agreements between Israel and Italy.

“We can further expand the cooperation between Israel and Italy in technology, in agriculture, in culture and science, in fighting terrorism, in security and stability for our world,” Netanyahu told Renzi, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Together we can innovate more than separate, both for the benefit of our two peoples, but also for the benefit of other peoples,” he said.

Netanyahu, who called Renzi’s recent speech in the Knesset “historic,” spent three days in Italy.

On Thursday, Netanyahu visited Milan Expo, which showcases technology and development, and delivered a message of willingness to share Israel’s technological and scientific results in sustainable agriculture with the world.

On Friday he met in Florence with a delegation of Jewish leaders, headed by the president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, Renzo Gattegna. “Israel considers Italy a natural bridge for Europe because it’s the country that strives to understand what are Israel’s needs,” he said following the meeting.

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