Israel hopes that the appointment last week by EU leaders of Italian Federica Mogherini as the new European Union foreign policy chief will open a ''new chapter'' in the EU-Israel relations although they are still reserved because the Italian Foreign Minister is quite new in the diplomatic arena as she was named only six months ago in the centre-left government of Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Renzi is considered a very good friend of Israel.
A first attempt to name her in July failed as some EU leaders, in particular the Baltic states and Poland, saw her as inexperienced and too soft on Russia in the Ukrainian crisis.
The Italian Foreign Minister is to take up in October the post of Catherine Ashton, who is not particularly popular in Israel.
“She is simply an unknown quantity, coming from the world of the left-leaning NGOs in Europe,” one Israel official quoted by The Jerusalem Post said of Mogherini, a member of Italy’s center left Democratic Party.
“It is not clear the degree to which she is ready to deal with very complicated files, such as the Iranian file,” the official said. Ashton was instrumental in leading the world power’s complex negotiations with Iran.
Another source in Jerusalem said that it could be possible to develop strong relations with Mogherini. According to this source, from Israel’s perspective there may be a benefit in having a young, relatively inexperienced diplomat in this role, because it will give the various countries in the EU more of a say over foreign policy coming out of Brussels.
As Foreign Minister Mogherini visited Israel during Operation Protecttive Edge during the early days of the conflict. She met then-president Shimon Peres, went to tour rocket-struck Ashdod with Israel Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman - as a result of a rocket fire alarm they had to temporarily move into a bunker - and met Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem.
Italy currently presides over the rotating presidency of the European Union.
During a press conference with Netanyahu she praised him for having accepted the Egyptian cease-fire proposal (which Hamas rejected at the time), and said she expected Hamas to accept it in the coming hours or days.
She said it was “extremely important” to stop the launching of rockets into Israel and also said she was “very much concerned” about the civilian casualties in Gaza.
“We really think it is dramatically urgent to stop this, and at the very same moment to restart the political process to find a sustainable and long term solution,” she said.
Netanyahu reminded her that while Italy was surrounded on three sides by water, Israel did not have that luxury.
“Imagine that your cities – Rome, Florence and Milan – were rocketed by a terrorist group next to you. You wouldn’t accept it and would fight back, which is what Israel is doing.”
"Italy's highest priority is an end to the shelling on Israel", Mogherini said according to the daily newspaper Maariv during the meeting with Netanyahu. "But with the same breath we want to start the political process in order to find a political solution to the problem." Israeli Prime Minister replied: "Those who shoot at us, looking for a political solution, but want to destroy Israel. So you have to disarm Gaza. "
In the southern city of Ashdod she said that “as a mother I understand very well the pressure and the tension there and at the same time the number of civilian victims in Gaza is extremely worrying. I think it’s in the interest of the Israeli and Palestinian people, especially in Gaza, to stop this.”
She visited a house in a residential area of Ashdod hit by ongoing rockets from Gaza, pointing out that at this time the most 'important' is the cease-fire proposed by Egypt which the Israeli government has accepted and that was rejected by Hamas.
Addressing journalists during the visit, Lieberman declared: "Hamas is aiming only (at the) civilian population... can you imagine rockets on Rome or Naples?" he asked, when questioned as to how Israel would respond to the ongoing bombardment. "Can somebody imagine rockets on Washington or New York...? I think we must retaliate as all normal countries (would)."
But the question remains how Mogherini will lead EU policy decisions regarding the threat from Islamic extremist groups.
Mogherini enters office at a propitious time. Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are acutely aware of the dangers presented by Islamic State and have already reached the conclusion that the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas present similar threats. She should take advantage of this sea change in the Arab world.
Israeli officials warmly welcomed the other major appointment of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk as as president of the European Council. Tusk is considered as a friend of Israel.
In contrast to Mogherini, Tusk is a very well known quantity in Jerusalem, and has what one diplomatic source said is a good relationship with Netanyahu, whom he has met on a number of occasions.
“During his leadership, Poland and Israel cooperated in a variety of different areas. His appointment could be good for Israeli-European relations,” a source in Jerusalem said.