Di Maio and Conte made a huge mistake in Dubai

Foreign policy is something serious. Promotional scenes and photos with world leaders aren't enough. It takes reality and attention to not shoot yourself in the foot. But, nevertheless, that's what the Conte Cabinet did in January after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi Di Maio, was pushed by the M5s with the permission of the PD. Now Israel is opening in grand style its consulate in Dubai with its foreign minister. It's perhaps a significant turning point in the Middle East balance: it's the ground for good business relations. At the same time, Italy is at its lowest relations with the Emirates, punished at a strategic-military level (they closed the base of Al Minhad, essential for our missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait), marginalized in business, ostracised for the Expo, a unique experience for economic-cultural access in the Arab world.

Enormous damage for our country. It's worth taking it out and taking it to the attention of the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi. He can't remain culpably silent. What did we do to the emirs? We accused them of interposing in Yemen's internal affairs. We are the only country in the world imposing an embargo on military supplies, first of all, ships. However, we keep selling them to Qatar. The emirs consider it an enemy and an instigator of terrorism in Dubai.

Obviously, in the Emirates, the anger towards Italy has reached its peak. The country is an essential gateway to the Middle East, and they will get international attention with the Expo. But, unfortunately, Conte and Di Maio didn't care to involve Europe or diplomacy, heedless of the ruins left on the ground. Burning bridges with Dubai is trouble on many sides. The political error endangers constructive diplomatic agility in the Middle East. The military error hinders our international missions (they provocatively denied the air space for a flight headed to Afghanistan to the Minister of Defense, Lorenzo Guerini). The economic error castigates our large companies. Among other things, the Emirates left Yemen, giving the front in the hands of the Saudis. Although maybe the Ministry of Foreign Affairs doesn't know.