Amid a growing rift between Italy and Israel, a magazine cover has sparked wider diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
The cover image of L'Espresso magazine, dated April 10, 2026, shows an armed Israeli settler filming a Palestinian woman during a raid in the occupied West Bank.
The magazine called out Israel for its actions in the Gaza Strip, occupied West Bank, occupied Golan Heights, and now Lebanon.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the suspension of the defence agreement with Israel, following the magazine's release.
Israel's ambassador to Italy slammed the magazine for sharing the image, calling it a 'manipulative use' that distorts reality and promotes stereotypes.
However, the cover photo is a real photograph taken by Italian photojournalist Pietro Masturzo near Hebron during the October 2025 olive harvest.
The diplomatic rift has grown with Italy suspending its defence agreement over Israeli's ongoing military operations in Lebanon, which have killed over 1,500 people and displaced nearly a million.
