Italian Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvnini said he is in favor of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Salvini, who is the leader of the right-wing League Party, was asked: “What do you think of President Trump’s policies on immigration?”
He responded: “I went to a Trump rally in Pennsylvania during the campaign, and I appreciate his following through on what he promised voters, as he did with recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.”
The Washington Post then asked him: “Are you in favor of that?” and Salvini responded, “Yes.”
The minister visited Israel recently, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed him as a “great friend of Israel,” despite the Italian Jewish community’s outcry over his far-right policies and anti-migration views.
During his two-day visit, Salvini met with Netanyahu and visited Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum and memorial.
However, the office of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said he turned down a meeting with Salvini, citing a full schedule and declining further comment.
