CLAIM
Viral video of Italian PM Giorgia Meloni criticising Israel in the ongoing UNGA 81 session
RATING JUSTIFICATION
The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false.
To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a keyword search, a reverse image search and a forensic analysis to trace the original video.
Multiple pro-Palestinian users, based on their past posts, across social media platforms have been sharing a video since September 23, 2026, allegedly showing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticising Israel at the ongoing 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. However, the clip is old, from her speech during the 80th UNGA session in 2025.
The 81st UNGA Session opened in New York on September 8, 2026. The high-level General Debate, considered the highlight of the annual gathering, commenced on September 22. More than 150 heads of state and government addressed the UNGA over the week, outlining their positions on pressing global issues ranging from peace and security to climate change and sustainable development.
While traditionally a close ally of Israel, Italy recently suspended the renewal of a defence agreement, reflecting growing unease over the escalation. At the same time, Italy has supported efforts to secure global energy routes and protect maritime trade amid disruptions caused by the conflict.
HOW IT STARTED
On September 23, an X user, who appears to be pro-Palestinian based on its past posts, shared a clip that allegedly shows Meloni delivering a speech at the US session.
The caption of the post read, “Italian Prime Minister Meloni: ‘I am accusing Israel of crossing the red line, I condemn the massacre of Palestinian civilians, and I am announcing that Italy will support European sanctions against Israel.“
The transcription of the viral video translates: “The reaction to an aggression must always respect the principle of proportionality. It is valid for individuals, it is valid for states, and Israel has exceeded that limit with a large-scale war that is involving the Palestinian civilian population beyond measure. And it is on this limit that the Jewish state has ended up breaking humanitarian norms and causing a massacre among civilians.”
She further said, “A choice that Italy has repeatedly called unacceptable, which will lead to our favourable vote on some of the sanctions proposed by the European Commission towards Israel. Italy is, and will be, there for anyone willing to work on a serious plan for the release of hostages, a permanent ceasefire, the exclusion of Hamas from any government dynamics in Palestine, the gradual withdrawal of Israel from Gaza, the commitment of the international community in the management of the next phase of the ceasefire, up to the realisation of the two-state prospect.”
The post racked up 2.3 million views.
Another user shared the same clip with the same caption, gaining 218,000 views.
The same video was posted by another pro-Palestinian account with the same caption, accumulating 245,000 views.
Another pro-Palestinian user shared the same clip with the following caption: “‘I accuse Netanyahu of crossing all limits, disregarding the principle of proportionality, provoking a breach of humanitarian norms, and causing a massacre of Palestinian civilians. Italy considers this absolutely unacceptable and will vote in favour of European sanctions against Israel.’
Excellent speech by Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, at the United Nations General Assembly. Netanyahu the terrorist has no one left; he is increasingly alone and cornered. The criminal must be stopped, tried, and condemned for his crimes against humanity.” The post further wrote.
The post gathered 152,000 views.
Another user shared the same video with the following caption, “I accuse Israel of crossing the red line, I condemn the massacre of Palestinian civilians, and I declare that Italy will support European sanctions against Israel.“ (Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy) Even a woman of the FAR RIGHT having a moment of lucidity.”
It gained 69,000 views.
Several other users also shared the clip across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively accumulating 187,300 views.
METHODOLOGY
A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in the ongoing 81st General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.
A keyword search yielded several mainstream international media outlets, such as The Governance Post, Fox News, The Economic Times, Deutsche Welle, and First Post, reporting that PM Meloni will not attend this year’s high-level meeting of UNGA, citing a busy schedule.
Reports further said this will be the first time in around 15 years that Italy’s prime minister will not attend the UNGA’s annual high-level meeting. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will represent Italy instead.
Furthermore, the Italian government’s official website published a video message by PM Meloni for a high-level education event held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The video shows Meloni addressing the event remotely rather than attending it in person.
A report by The Sun, a Nigerian media outlet, also said Meloni delivered a video presentation at the event, where Italy and Nigeria co-hosted an initiative on global education financing.
A reverse image search conducted to trace the source of the video yielded a similar video of PM Meloni speaking at the podium of UNGA, shared by the official YouTube channel of the United Nations on Sep 25, 2025.
The video was titled: “Italy - President Addresses United Nations General Debate, 80th Session”, which shows the video is from UNGA’s 80th session in 2025.
The viral video starts at the 3:47-minute mark of the original speech.
However, the portion from the 4:23-minute mark to the 5:25-minute mark, in which Meloni condemns Hamas, has been cropped out. The viral video then resumes with footage appearing immediately after the omitted portion.
The transcription of the cropped part is as follows: “But we do not side with those who heap all the blame for what is happening in Gaza and Israel, because it was Hamas that unleashed the war.
It is Hamas that could end the suffering of Palestinians by immediately releasing all the hostages. It is Hamas that seems intent on thriving on the suffering of the people it claims to represent. Israel must free itself from the trap of this war. It must do so for the history of the Jewish people, for its democracy, for the innocent, and for the universal values of the free world of which it is part. And to end the war, concrete solutions are needed. Peace is not built only with appeals or with ideological proclamations embraced with enthusiasm by those who in truth do not want peace.
Peace is built with patience, with courage, with reasonableness. The children of Gaza, like those Italy is proudly receiving and treating in its hospitals, are asking for answers that can improve their condition. And to that we are committed.”
The same speech was reported by other UN websites such as UN General Debate and UN Web TV.
FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE
The claim that a viral video shows Italian PM Giorgia Meloni criticising Israel during the ongoing UNGA 81 session is false.
The video is old, from PM Meloni’s speech during the 80th UNGA session in 2025. Moreover, Meloni will not attend this year’s UNGA meeting.
EVIDENCE AND REFERENCES
Sep 22, 2026, The Governance Post news article:
https://thegovernancepost.com/8539
Sep 22, 2026, Fox News article:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-ally-skips-unga-first-time-months-after-face-to-face-president-gave-way-bitter-clash
Sep 23, Deutsche Welle news article:
https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-skipping-the-un-general-assembly-and-why/a-79391652
Sep 25, 2025, United Nations YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqoOzyCgpq8
Sep 24, 2025, UN Web TV video:
https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1t/k1tzt6qhpn