AJC Organizes Celebration of 75 Years of Israeli-Italian Relations in the Italian Senate

On February 28, the Transatlantic Friends of Israel (TFI)-Italy Chapter, an AJC project of cross-party, interparliamentarian lawmakers, and the Israeli embassy in Rome organized a panel discussion in the Italian Senate celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations between Rome and Jerusalem. The panel, moderated by Benedetta Buttiglione, Deputy Director of the AJC Transatlatic Institute, featured TFI parliamentarians from five political parties: Senator Lucio Malan, President of the Brothers of Italy Group in the Senate, Senator Marco Scurria (Brothers of Italy), Chair of the TFI-Italy Chapter, Senator Mariastella Gelmini (Action), Former Minister of Regional Affairs and Autonomies and Vice-President of TFI Italy, Senator Giulio Maria Terzi di Sant'Agata (Brothers of Italy), Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sen. Stefania Craxi (Forza Italia), Hon. Enrico Borghi (Italia Viva), Hon. Piero Fassino (Democratic Party), Hon. Paolo Formentini (Lega Nord), Former Minister of Justice, and Hon. Andrea Orsini (Forza Italia). H.E. Alon Bar, Israeli Ambassador to Italy, completed the panel. 

Over 70 politicians, diplomats, officials, as well as members of the Jewish community attended the discussion. The event was covered by ​​​​​​Italy's most important press agencies and main TV stations.

The discussion addressed the historical ties between both countries from 1949--when Italy was one of the first countries to recognize the newly established Jewish state--to Hamas' brutal attack on October 7. The parliamentarians expressed their solidarity with Israel and called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Senator Scurria highlighted the fact that Israel is a country based on democratic values and the rule of law in a region where those concepts are scarce. Senator Scurria also pointed out the ties between Hamas, Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea. Senator Gelmini drew attention to the many partnerships in the fields of culture, research, and innovation the two countries had established over the past 75 years. She also condemned the dangerous rise of antisemitism since the October 7 attacks. Senator Terzi was deeply touched by the fate of the remaining hostages and called out international organizations for failing to advocate for their release and condemn Hamas. Senator Craxi emphasized that the October 7 attacks had done nothing to help the Palestinian cause and that it was part of a broader war of Islamists against Western values.