 [Jerusalem Post] Salvini arrived on Wednesday, and immediately helicoptered to the north to view the work the IDF was doing to uncover the tunnels.
"There is a clear threat from the north," he said. "I repeat my condition, those who want peace, need to support and defend Israel."
Salvini is the leader of the far-right Northern League Party, and know for a stridently anti-immigration policy. He is is the latest in a list of right-wing politicians to visit Israel, and whose visits have triggered criticism. Hungarian President Viktor Orban visited in July, and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte came in September.
Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg said of Salvini's visit that "it is unfortunate, but not surprising, to discover another one of the leaders who are warmly welcomed by the Israeli government."
Zandberg said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's foreign policy "consistently and systematically strives to to lead Israel to alliances with the most dubious figures in world politics at the expense of liberal democracies. Instead of freedom, equality and rights, Netanyahu reaches out to fascist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic leaders."
She praise President Reuven Rivlin for not finding the time to meet Salvinii, saying this was "one ray of light." In a recent CNN interview on growing antisemitism in Europe, Rivlin said of support from Israel from the far-right that "you cannot say ’we admire Israel and want relations with your country, but we are neo-fascists.’" 
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