A few days ago, a pro-Israel rallies were held in Italy, including a large one in Rome, and the Italian foreign minister decided not to attend in order to “avoid damaging Italian national interests.” Here’s how the Iranians rewarded him for having the nerve to speak out against Tehran’s statements:
Asefi criticized Fini for calling on the international community to help guarantee Israel’s security and condemning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s assertion last month that the Jewish state should be “wiped off the map.”
Fini’s comments are “not compatible with the role of foreign minister and with the glory and honor of the Italian nation,” Asefi said during his weekly news conference Sunday.
The Italian ministry shot back, saying, “Minister Fini certainly cannot accept lessons on conduct coming from a foreign (ministry) spokesman.”
In other words, you can’t win for losing. You should have attended the rally. However:
In an interview published in Saturday’s editions of Corriere della Sera daily, Fini said Ahmadinejad’s Oct. 26 remark reflected what many others think “but have not always dared speak with such brutality.”
“Not recognizing Israel’s right to exist is an incentive for terrorism because the moment you don’t recognize a state’s right to exist, you don’t recognize a people’s right to exist,” Fini said.
Okay, that gets you an A for Effort.
Next time, show up at the rally.