Incoming Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s election victory was met with conflicting reactions in Israel and a subdued response from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, led by Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

Meloni, a far-right politician who heads the Brothers of Italy party, is now set to serve as the country’s next prime minister. Unsurprisingly, the first Israelis to congratulate her were members of the Likud party, including former Minister Gila Gamliel and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu called Meloni personally to offer his congratulations and his son Yair tweeted Sept. 25, “Congratulations Giorgia Meloni and the conservative camp in Italy!”

Lapid waited a week to release a carefully worded and reserved message that bears neither Lapid’s nor Meloni’s name. It reads: “Israel congratulates the Italian people for finishing the election and looks forward to continuing the cooperation and friendship with the government that will be established and with the Italian people, with an emphasis on the areas of the economy, energy, water, innovation and cyber, in addition to fighting antisemitism and protecting the memory of the Holocaust together.”

The belated and vague message reflects uncertainties behind the scenes with Israel's own elections just weeks away.