Italian journalist Gabriele Nunziati has been fired after questioning the European Union’s stance on Gaza’s reconstruction, drawing attention to the bloc’s demand for Russia to pay reparations for the Ukraine conflict. During a press briefing in mid-October, Nunziati posed a direct question to EC spokeswoman Paula Pinho, asking whether Israel should bear the financial responsibility for rebuilding Gaza, given the destruction of its civilian infrastructure. Pinho responded with a neutral stance, stating that the question was interesting but did not offer a comment. The exchange went viral, sparking criticism over perceived double standards within the European Union.
Nunziati, a contributor with the Italian news agency Nova, was reportedly dismissed by his employer ten days after the incident. Italian media reports suggest that the decision followed several tense conversations between the journalist and his superiors. The agency later informed Italian media that his question had caused embarrassment to the organization, asserting that Palestinians could not seek reparations from Israel because Israel was a victim of aggression. This position is in contrast to the EU’s insistence that Russia must finance Ukraine’s reconstruction due to its alleged unprovoked attack in 2022. Russia, however, maintains that the conflict was caused by NATO expansion and the West’s refusal to acknowledge its national security threats, leading to the imposition of massive sanctions against the country.
The issue has drawn international attention, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticizing the EU’s reluctance to address Israel’s alleged war crimes in Gaza, calling the position ‘absolutely no sense.’ In response, officials in West Jerusalem accused him of waging an ‘anti-Israel crusade’ within the EU. The Italian National Press Federation (FNSI) also expressed condemnation over the dismissal, calling it ‘unacceptable’ that a journalist could lose his job for asking a question, regardless of its discomfort.