Italy is reportedly “uncomfortable” with Israel’s pick of Benny Kashriel as its next ambassador to Rome, since he has served as longtime mayor of Ma’ale Adumim. Ma’ale Adumim is regarded as a large “settlement” in so-called “occupied territory” in Judea and Samaria (aka the West Bank). Rome must approve the selection.
Italy now stands at a crossroads as it decides on whether to accept or reject Israel’s choice of ambassador. It also has a history — long and recent — with the Palestinian Authority, the UN and EU.
The ties between Italy and UNESCO — a “willing partner” in the Palestinian “subterfuge” to “erase the historical Jewish presence from the land of Israel” — run deep. An agreement signed in 1957 between UNESCO and Italy gave rise to a new organization called the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM). In June, “ICCROM Director-General Dr Webber Ndoro “received a courtesy visit from H.E. Abeer Odeh, Ambassador of the State of Palestine in Italy and Permanent Representative to the UN Organizations.”
The Palestinians became full members of UNESCO in 2011. This gave them heightened legitimacy at the UN. One must also remember the contradiction of the UN in receiving the “State of Palestine,” when there is no such thing. Yet despite accepting “Palestine” as a state, it still calls for a two-state solution under terms of pre-1967 borders that would put Israel at serious disadvantage and risk.
Given the right-wing support base of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, she finds herself caught between the proverbial rock and hard place. According to Agence France-Presse, although Meloni and her government have shown strong support for Israel, “Rome also considers that the settlements established in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967 — and deemed illegal by the United Nations — are an obstacle to peace.”
Merely three weeks after Hamas’ savage attack of Israel, Meloni declared support for the Palestinian Authority. According to the Italian News Agency ANSA:
Italy supports the Palestinian National Authority, Premier Giorgia Meloni told PNA President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the Cairo Middle East peace summit Saturday…..Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had a long and cordial bilateral meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas,” said a note from the premier’s office at Palazzo Chigi.
It said “during the talks, Italy’s support for the legitimate representative authority of the Palestinian people, which certainly does not identify with Hamas, was confirmed.
The Palestinian people do, in fact, identify with Hamas. Their support for Hamas soared since October 7.
Now Italy is on the verge of a new affront to Israel. The Times of Israel reports:
The Italian government has indicated to Israel that it is uncomfortable with Jerusalem’s choice for its next ambassador to Rome because of his close ties to the settlement movement.
Benny Kashriel, the long-time mayor of the large West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, was chosen by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to be Israel’s next ambassador to Rome in July, but the Italians have still not approved the appointment….
The central issue is “concern” by Italy “that the appointment could undermine the country’s relations with the European Union.”
For the Meloni government to maintain cordial relations with the European Union is a tall order. The EU is far left, and has given $717,000,000 to the “Palestinians” since 2021, including $236,000,000 to Gaza; meanwhile, Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority is a jihadist organization which allocates $300 million USD to its Martyrs Fund as a reward for people who murder Jews.
Whatever is going on with Meloni, she’s clearly in a complicated position, which is a test of the strength of her leadership. Also a factor is the pro-Palestinianposition of the Pope of Islam. Should Meloni continue playing a double game, she will erode her own support base. In September, Meloni was slammed by the Hungarian media and France’s Marine Le Pen for her U-turn on migration, only five months after Italy declared a state of emergency amid a migrant invasion. Yet less than two weeks ago, Meloni rightly noted a “problem of compatibility between Islamic culture and the values and rights of our civilization.”
Let’s hope that Italy does right by Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, and welcomes Israel’s choice of ambassador to Rome, particularly since Italy has accepted a representative from the nonexistent “State of Palestine” and supports the terrorist Palestinian Authority.