Abraham
Foxman (left) and
Silvio Berlusconi |
ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE
Shanah Tovah From
Prime Minister Of Italy
By
Nina and Tim Boxer
Photos by
Tim Boxer
 CKNOWLEDGING
the persistent “buzz” about the Anti-Defamation League dinner
at The Plaza to honor the controversial Italian Prime Minister,
national director Abraham Foxman deflected all
criticism by praising Silvio Berlusconi as a staunch friend
of the United States and Israel.
“You see anti-Zionism and anti-Israel for
what it is—anti-Semitism,” Foxman said. “You visited the
Rome synagogue last week. Your government made clear that Hamas
equals terrorism. You’ve shown more understanding and support
for Israel than any other country in Europe.”
For those reasons Foxman bestowed the ADL’s
Distinguished Statesman Award on Berlusconi.
When he first met the leader of Italy, Foxman
said he asked why did he break from his European colleagues to
support the U.S. in Iraq.
Berlusconi told him that he visits Anzio
Beach once a year. He looks at the rows of crosses and Stars of
David and recalls how they came across the ocean and laid down
their lives so the people of Europe can live in freedom.
Israeli
Ambassador to U.S.
Daniel Ayalon (l-r), Israeli Foreign
Minister
Sylvan Shalom and Israeli
Ambassador to UN Daniel Gillerman
listen
to News Corp. chairman
Rupert Murdoch |
Maria Bartiromo of CNBC, serving as
emcee, gushed how proud she is to celebrate her Italian heritage.
“My father’s family came from Naples; my mother’s family
from Sicily. I never miss a chance to visit my favorite place in
the world—Italia.”
“I have always been grateful to America,”
Berlusconi said at the dinner, “for saving my country from the
scourges of Nazism, fascism, Communism and the Soviet empire.
“We are proud to be the most loyal allies
of the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
That got hearty applause from the audience
which included Berlusconi’s business competitor News Corp.
chairman Rupert Murdoch, Barnes & Noble chairman Leonard
Riggio, Miramax Films co-chairman Harvey Weinstein,
and CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo.
The Italian prime minister, who has visited
Israel twice in the last three years, affirmed his country’s
stand with the U.S. to ensure Israel’s “integrity within
secure and safe borders.”
He proposed several steps toward peace in the
Middle East:
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Israel should become a member of the European Union.
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The EU should develop an economic development plan
for the Middle East.
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Sicily would host Israeli/Palestinian peace talks. |
He added: “As prime minister of Italy and
president of the European Union, I pledge my commitment to fight
anti-Semitism. That’s why I support the mission of the ADL.
Shanah Tovah.”
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