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Israel Counter-Terrorism: Israel-Italy Agreement on the Struggle Against Terrorism

(December 4, 1986)

In 1986, terrorists attacked an Italian passenger liners, the Achille Lauro. Afterwards, Italy prosecuted a number of Palestinian terrorists and was not deterred by Arab threats and its minister of the interior signed the agreement in Jerusalem. Israel was highly pleased with the agreement, the first in its kind with a major European power. Italy It also specified exchange of information and fight against illicit drugs.

The Minister of Police of Israel and the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Italy,

Recognizing the effective cooperation already existing between their respective countries,

Aware, however, of the need to realize in a more incisive way the coordination in the flow and analysis of information, and repression of international terrorism, the illicit trade in drugs and other forms of serious crime including organized crime,

Have agreed:

1. Upon mutual agreement of the Minister of Police of the State of Israel and the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Italy, a Bilateral Committee shall be established for the cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the illicit trade in drugs and other forms of serious crime including organized crime.

2. The Bilateral Committee shall be headed by the two Ministers and shall include representatives of the competent ministries, senior officials of the forces in charge of public order and experts in the specific fields mentioned above.

Representatives of other Ministries and offices may be invited to take part, as needed, by mutual consent.

The Bilateral Committee shall meet regularly at least once a year, and whenever necessary in order to discuss particular questions of an urgent nature, alternately in each of the two countries.

3. In order to render more efficient and concrete the collaboration between the two countries, the cooperation shall aim at carrying out in the aforementioned fields, the following activities:

(a) Terrorism

Exchange of information relating to terrorist groups, their activities and techniques, within the limits permitted according to the legislation and procedures of the respective countries;

Updating information concerning current threats of terrorism as well as the techniques and the organizational structure introduced for combatting those threats, and this through regular exchange of experts;

Exchange of experience and knowhow in the field of safety of aerial, maritime and railway transport for the purpose of continually improving the standards of the security measures taken in airports, ports and railway stations and to continually conform them to the level of threats posed by international terrorism.

Mutual assistance in the field of security, including the security of public institutions of each of the two countries situated in the other country.

(b) Illicit Trade in Drugs

Exchange of information and its sources, notices and data relating to the illicit trade in drugs, within the limits permitted according to the legislation of the respective countries;

Mutual and continual updating of data relating to the phenomenon of drugs, the methods and the organizational structure created for the prevention of such phenomena;

Cooperation in the field of research and study being carried out in the two countries for the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

(c) Other Forms of Serious Crime Including Organized Crime

Constant exchange of information and data regarding other forms of serious crime and organized criminal activities, within the limits permitted according to the legislation of the respective countries;

Exchange of experts of the Police Forces in order to carry out joint activities;

Taking common measures for the purpose of preventing the recycling of black money.

4. This Agreement does not prejudice the application of any international Agreement to which the Italian Republic or the State of Israel, or one of them is a Party, and which relates to all or any of the matters to which this Agreement relates.

5. This Agreement shall enter into force upon signature and may be terminated by either of the two Parties, at any time, by written notification.

Done in Jerusalem on the Fourth day of December 1986, which corresponds to the Second day of Kislev 5747, in two originals in the Hebrew, Italian and English languages each of the texts being equally authentic.

In case of divergent interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

[Oscar Luigi Scalfaro] For the Ministry of Police of the Republic of Italy

[Haim Bar-Lev] For the Ministry of the Interior of the State of Israel


Sources: Israeli Foreign Ministry