Abdul Hadi Palazzi - Israel must live!

The Italian Muslim Assembly and the Cultural Institute of the Italian Islamic Community
join the demonstration arranged for November 3, 2005 by "Il Foglio" daily newspaper
against the crazy antisemitic declarations made by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

[Text of the poster: Maumoud Ahmadinejad, President of Islamic Republic of Iran: "We will cancel Israel".
NO! Let us demonstrate to defend the right of Israel to exist. Thursday Novembre 3, 9 PM
Via Nomentana/Via di S. Costanza. Il Foglio]

- To restate Israel's right to exist, to security, to peace,
- to voice solidarity with Israel under attack by terrorism and antisemitism,
- to support the Iranian democratic opposition against the mullahcratic tyranny,

We invite our members and supporters to participate in the demonstration
which will be hold in Rome on Thursday, November 3, 9 PM, in front of the
Iranian Embassy, Via Nomentana/Via di S. Costanza.

The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has recently declared that Israel “must be cancelled from maps”. We hardly protest and stand firmly for Israel's right to exist. Consequently, we arrange a demonstration in front of the Iranian Embassy in Rome on November 3, at 9 PM.

Sheikh Palazzi's message of adhesion
("Il Foglio", November 2, 2005)

Dear Dr. Ferrara,

I am glad to inform you that the Italian Muslim Assembly and the Cultural institute of the Italian Islamic Community are joining the demonstration of protest in front of the Iranian Embassy organized by “Il Foglio” for the incoming November 3. The infamous words by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to which “Israel must be cancelled from maps”, must be openly, strongly and publicly condemned by all those who believe in democracy and peace coexistence among the nations. In joining the praiseworthy initiative organized by your daily newspaper, the democratic and moderate Muslims belonging to the Italian Muslim Assembly and to the Cultural Institute of the Italian Islamic Community want to voice their solidarity with Israel, threatened in its own right to exist, and extend the same solidarity to those democratic Iranians who have been fighting for years against a clerical dictatorship which is corrupt their country and changing it into a barbarous entity.

Civil nations must unanimously oppose a rough nation whose President openly declares his intention to destroy the only democracy of Middle East. The representative of such a rough nation cannot sea side by side with the representatives of the civil nations, and must be expelled by international organization, starting from the United Nations Organization. We ask the UNO Secretary Kofi Annan to consider the opportunity to expel Iran from the UN. As a minimum, he must immediately cancel his planned visit to Tehran.

Like it happened on April 15, 2002 during the "Israel Day", our participation to a demonstration in support of the State of Israel organized by the board of "Il Foglio" is a gesture to voice our solidarity with all those Israeli citizens who are living under the daily threat of terrorism and antisemitism. We thank you for giving us and many other Italian citizens an opportunity to show our love for Israel with a concrete initiative. We wish for Israel to prosper and to grow strong, and we hope to see "cancelled" that corrupt and bloodthirsty mullahcratic regime which is so hated by the wide majority of Iranians. WE also of to celebrate with all of you the day in which, like it happened with Saddam Hussein, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will also be sent to jail and tried for his crimes.

All the very best,

Sheikh Abdul Hadi Palazzi

Secretary general,
Italian Muslim Assembly

The undersignatories, Iranian citizens of Italian citizens of Iranian origin, not only strongly disagree with the declaration of the recently appointed Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who want "to live in a world without Israel", but feel deeply offended by these words which are extraneous to the history and to the traditions of a country which is proud of centuries of peaceful coexistence with its Jewish citizens. Our coexistence dates back to Cyrus and Darius. One is permitted to disagree with some aspects of the policy of the Israeli government toward the Palestinians, is permitted to support the Palestinian request of an independent Palestinian State, but none has the right to question the right of Israel to exist. The way to peace and dialogue cannot pass for Auschwitz.

Ahmad Rafat (journalist), Babak Payami (movie director), Ghahreman Divanbeighi (president, Iran-Italy Cultural Center), Farian Sabahi (journalist), Leonardo Rafat (www.Irani-Italy.com), Dariush Cecchi (bachelor), Ardeshir Shojai (architect), Iride Bosi (physician), Patrizia Rafat (house maid), Caren Davidkhanian (journalist), Nima Rafat (director, Iberpress News Service), Silvia Zangrilli (teacher), Babak Karimi (expert of cinema), Mahvah Alime (architect), Nader Javaheri (director, www.iraniani.it), Massoud Hatami (architect), Vahed Vartanian (architect), Kambiz Dowlatshahi (architect), Associazione Association for freedom of Speech in Iran, Iran Free Press, Iran Promo.

Partial list of adherents:

Giano Accame (journalist), www.Arabiliberali.it, Ariella Adler, Ferdinando Adornato (deputy, FI), Luisa Adorno, Costanza Afan de Rivera (politician, An), Elena Aga-Rossi (historian), Lorenzo Albacete (responsible. Cl Usa), Gianni Alemanno (Minister of Agricolture), Khaled Fouad Allam (professor), Magdi Allam (journalist), Enrico Alleva (biologist), Luigi Amicone (editor, "Tempi" montly review), Gavino Angius (president of Ds Senators), Lucia Annunziata (journalist), Anti Defamation League Italy, Dario Antiseri (professor), Alfredo Antonozzi (deputy, FI), Alfonso Arbib (Chief Rabbi, Milan), Marco Archetti (writer), Franco Grillini (president, Arcigay), Sergio Lo Giudice and Aurelio Mancuso (Arcygay), Achille Ardigò (sociologist), Giovanni Arena (coordinator FI, Viterbo Area), Federigo Argentieri (historian), Fabio Armeni (regional deputy, FI, Lazio Area), Gianluca Arrigoni (journalist), Sheikh Abdul Hadi Palazzi, (Italian Muslim Assembly www.amislam.com), Italy-Israel Fellowship, Jewish-Christian Fellowship of Rome, B. Leoni Association (Verona), Education for Peace Association (San Sepolcro – Ar), Children of Shoah Association (Milano), Queen Elena International Association, Iranians Supporters of Iranian Resistence Association, Italy-Israel Association (Asti, Milano, Padova, Trieste, Verona), Italian Association for Progressive Judaism – Lev Chadash, Freedom & Justice Association, Magna Charta Association, Radical Association “Adelaide Aglietta”, Political refuigees in Italy Association, Christian Associations of Italian Workers, Populr European Action Association, Vittorio Baccelli (writer), Mario Baccini (Minister of Public Administration), Gianni Baget Bozzo (politologist), Mario Baldassarri (Deputy Minister of Economy), Simone Baldelli (youth coordinator, FI), Federico Baldini (president, “Giovanni Spadolini” Club, Ravenna), Dino Bara (journalist), Augusto Barbera (constitutionalist), Paolo Barelli (vice president of FI Senators and predient, Italy-Israel Association, Rome), Maurizio Baruffi (regional deputy of the Green party, Milan), Michele Battini (historian), Pierluigi Battista (journalist), Francesco Battistoni (country deputy, FI, Viterbo area), Alan D. Baumann (editor, "L’Ideale" magazine), Franco Bechis (editor, "Il Tempo" daily newspaper), Giovanni Belardelli (historian), Piero Benedetti (biologist), Roberto Benedetti (regional deputy, An, Tuscany), Rita Bernardini (administrator, Italian Radical Party), Pierluigi Bersani (deputy to the European parliament, Ds), Paolo Bertetto (professor), Enrico Berti (philosopher), Isabella Bertolini (deputy president, FI Deputies), Enzo Bianco (president, Parliamentary Control Commission), Paola Binetti (president, Science & Life Association), Alfredo Biondi (vice president, House of Deputies), Tocqueville's bloggers, Marco Boato (deputy, Green Party), Stefano Boco (President, Green Party Senators), Massimo Boffa (journalist), Dino Boffo (editor,"Avvenire" daily newspaper), Adriana Bolchini, Riccardo Bonacina (journalist), Roberta Bonazzi (director, European Foundation for Democracy), Sandro Bondi (coordinator, FI), Ivan Bonfanti (journalist), Margherita Boniver (Deputy Foreign Minister), Nicola Bono (Deputy Minister of Culture), Max Boot (Council on Foreign Relations), Willer Bordon (president, Margherita Senators), Davide Bordoni (president, Municipality of Rome XIII), Piero Borghini (Municipality of Milan), Lucia Borgia (Vice president, Governmental Commission for Gender Equality), Sergio Boschiero (secretary, Monarchical Union of Italy), Enrico Boselli (secretary, Sdi Party), Giorgio Bracardi (actor), Anna Bravo (historian), Renato Brunetta (deputy to the European Parliament, FI), Donato Bruno (deputy, FI), Massimo Brutti (senator, Ds), Dimitri Buffa (journalist), Salvatore Buglio (deputaty, Ds), Marino Busdachin (secretary, Un represented Nations and People Organization, including the Iranian minorities of Ahwazis, Azeris, Belukhas and Kurds), Rocco Buttiglione (Minister of Culture), Massimo Cacciari (philosopher), Mario Cacciotti (president of consellers, FI, Rome Area), Guido Caianiello (journalist), Pietro Calabrese (director "Panorama" weekly magazine), Giuseppe Caldarola (deputy, Ds), Guido Caldiron (journalist), Stefano Caldoro (Minister of Planning), Oddone Camerana (writer), Rosanna Cancellieri (journalist), Giuseppe Canessa (journalist), Luciano Canfora (historian), Daniele Capezzone (secretary, Italian Radical Party), Marco Cappato (secretary, Luca Coscioni Association), Enzo Carra (deputy, Margherita Party), Gianluca Carrabs (consellers of Marche Area), Rodolfo Casadei (journalist), Pierluigi Castagnetti (president of deputies, Margherita Party), Alberto Castelvecchi (editor), Francesco M. Cataluccio (director, Bollati Boringhieri Publishing House), Mario A. Cattaneo (professor), Simon Wiesenthal Center, Andrea Carbone (member of the direction, Green Party), Guido Ceronetti (writer), Remigio Ceroni (coordinator, FI, Marche Area), Lorenzo Cesa (secretary, Udc Party), Giancarlo Cesana (director, Cl), Khalid Chaouki (journalist), Riccardo Chiaberge (journalist), Fabrizio Cicchitto (vice coordinator, FI), Arrigo Cipriani, Reform Club “Silvano Costi”, Francesco Cisternino, Sergio Cofferati (mayor of Bologna), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (deputy to the European Parliament), Andrea Colombo (journalist), Arturo Colombo (professor), Daria Colombo (journalist), Luigi Compagna (president of deputies and senators belonging to the Italy-Israel Fellowship), Laura Cazzola (mayor, Municipality of Motta Visconti, Mi) Community of Sant’Egidio, Piero dello Strologo (president, Jewish Community of Genoa) Giuseppe Momigliano (Chief Rabbi or Genoa), Vincenzo Coppola (lawyer), Luca Cordaro (physician), Antonio Corsi (Mayor of Sgurgola – Fr), Fiorello Cortiana (senator, Green Party), Lionello Cosentino (president of deputies, Ds), Cecilia Costa (professor), Piero Craveri (historian), Bobo Craxi (deputy, New Psi Party), Raimondo Cubeddu (professor), Armando Cusani (president of Latina Area), Thomas Cushman (editor, Journal of Human Rights), Mauro Cutrufo (senator, Dc), Marina D’Amelia (historian), Raffaele D’Ambrosio (president of deputies, FI, Lazio Area), Vittorio Dan Segre (president, Institute for Mediterranean Studies), Franco Debenedetti (senator, Ds), Ferruccio De Bortoli (editor, "Sole 24 Ore" daily newspaper), Umberto De Giovannangeli (journalist), Biagio de Giovanni (historian), Sergio D’Elia (secretary, "None Should Touch Cain" Association), Stefano De Lillo (regional deputy, FI, Lazio Area), Lorenzo Dellai (president, Trento Area), Gianfranco Dell’Alba (secretary, "No Peace Without Justice" Association), Benedetto Della Vedova (president, Liberal Reform Party), Andrea De Maria (vice president, Bologna Area), Roberto de Mattei (historian), Gianni De Michelis (secretary, New Psi Party), Loredana De Petris (deputy, Green Party), Claudio Desderi (musician), Alda D’Eusanio (journalist), Pierluigi Diaco (journalist), Arturo Diaconale (editor, "L’opinione" daily newspaper), Antonio Di Bella (directo,Tg3 TV News), Sandro Di Castro (president, B'nai B'rith Italy), Lamberto Dini (president of senators, Margherita Party), Gigi Di Meo (director, "TelePordenone" TV channell), Alessandra Di Pietro (journalist), Antonio Di Pietro (president, "Italia dei Valori" Party), Riccardo Di Segni (Chief Rabbi of Rome), Andrea Di Teodoro (deputy, FI), Carla Di Veroli (president of counsellers, Municipal "pro-Veltroni" List, Rome), Domenico Di Virgilio (Deputy Minister of Health), Lucio D’Ubaldo (secretary, "I Popolari" Association), Giulio Duchi, Olivier Dupuis (secretary, Radical Transnational Party), Afshin Ellian (jurist, professor and Iranian dissident, University of Leiden), Renato Farina (journalist), Piero Fassino (secretary, Ds Party), Andrea Felis (teacher), Vittorio Feltri (editor, "Libero" daily newspaper), Maria Pia Farinella (journalist), Carlo Fatuzzo (deputy to the European Parliament, FI), Claudio Fazzone (counselor, FI, Lazio Area), Giovanni Postorino (secretary, Republican Youth Association), National Federation of Italy-Israel Fellowships, Giuliano Ferrara (editor, "Il Foglio" daily newspaper), Antonio Ferretti (military leader of Resistance against Nazi-Fascism), Emanuele Fiano (president of counselors, Ds, Milan), Fabio Filippi (counselor, FI, Emilia Romagna Area), "Finanza & Mercati" monthly review, Mario Fineschi (Jewish Community of Florence), Gianfranco Fini (Foreign Minister), Marta Flavi (TV anchorwoman), Anna Foa (historian), Arnoldo Foà, Paolo Foà (director, B’nai B’rith Italy), Renzo Foa (journalist), Vittorio Foa (writer), Marco Follini (deputy, Udc Party), Aldo Forbice (president, "Ignazio Silone" Foundation), Gregorio Fontana (deputy, FI), Paolo Fontanelli (mayor of Pisa), Roberto Formigoni (president, Lombardia Area), Letizia Fornasieri (painter), Franco Frattini (vice president, European Commission), David Frum (American Enterprise Institute), Ernesto Galli della Loggia (historian), Antonio Galdo (journalist), Mariapia Garavaglia (deputy mayor, Rome), Emanuele Gargiulo (coordinator, Fiamma Tricolore Party in France), Daniele Garrone (Waldense theologian), Enrico Gasbarra (president, Rome Area), Maurizio Gasparri (deputy, An), Massimo Gatti (Ds, Carate Brianza), Jas Gawronski (deputy to the European Parliament FI), Enrico Oliari, Daniele Priori and Christian Poccia (Liberal Gay Association), Maria Ida Germontani (memebr of the direction, An), Antonio Ghirelli (journalist), Davide Giacalone (journalist), Oscar Giannino (journalist), Carlo Ginzburg (historians), Carlo Giovannardi (Minister for Relations with the Parliament), Pietro A. Giustini (professor), André Glucksmann (philosopher), Giuseppe Anania and Massimo Bianchi (Grand Orient of Italy - Palazzo Giustiniani), Aldo Grasso (TV expert), Assia Grazioli, Giuseppe Grimaldi (professor), David Grossman (writer), Lilli Gruber (deputy to the European Parliament, Ds), Conselors of the FI groups of Umbria, and Latina Area, Municipalities of Formia, Terracina, Priverno, Monte San Biagio, Sperlonga, Aprilia, Cisterna, Minturno, Santi Cosma e Damiano, Fondiand Itri, "Centouno Group" Association of Florence, FI deputies to the European Parliament, "Martin Buber – Jews for peace" Association, Leonardo Losito (professor), Gualtiero Harrison (professor), Antonello Iannarilli (counselor, FI, Lazio Area), Bruna Ingrao (economist), Ugo Intini (deputy, Sdi Party), Massimo Introvigne (president of Cesnur), Giorgio Israel (professor), Istituto culturale Comunità islamica italiana, Giulia Ivanov (journalist), Raffaele Sassun (president, Keren Kayemeth Leisrael Italia), Rafi Korn (coordinator, Green Youth), Raffaele La Capria (writer), Giorgio La Malfa (Minister for Relations with the European Union), Antonio Landolfi ("G. Mancini" Foundation), Mario Landolfi (Minister for Communications), Salvatore Lauro (senator, Cdl Group), Michael Ledeen (Freedom scholar, American Enterprise Institute), Massimo Lensi (counselor, FI, Florence Area), Andrea Leoni (counselor, FI, Emilia Romagna Area), Gad Lerner (journalist), Lia Levi (writer), Giacoma Limentani (writer), Marco Lion (deputy, Green Party), Nancy Lippmann (professor), Agazio Loiero (president, Calabria Area), Massimo Longo Adorno (historian), Stefano Losurdo (deputy, An), Beatrice Lorenzin (coordinator, FI, Lazio Area), Maurizio Lupi (deputy, FI), Sergio Luzzatto (historian), Emanuele Macaluso (senator, Ds), Enrico Pietrangeli (writer and poet), Miriam Mafai (journalist), Victor Magiar (counselor, Jewish Copmmunity of Rome), Michele Magno (National counselor, Ds), Beatrice Magnolfi (member of direction, Ds), Lucio Malan (vice president of senators, FI), Gennaro Malgieri (member of the board, Rai, Italian State TV), Claudia Mancina (professor), Caterina Manco (diretor of education), Luigi Manconi (sociologist), Renato Mannheimer, Alfredo Mantovano (Deputy Minister of Home Security), Paolo Marcheschi (counselor, FI, Tuscany Area), Marco Margrita (www.stranicristiani.ilcannocchiale.it), Giulio Marini (counselor, FI, Viterbo Area), Luigi Marino (president, Confcooperative), Roberto Maroni (Minister of Welfare), Piero Marrazzo (president, Lazio Area), Claudio Martini (president, Toscana Area), Roozbeh Farahnipour (Marze por Gohar - Iranians for a Secular Republic), Clemente Mastella (secretary Udeur Party), Riccardo Mastrorillo (national counselor, Green Party), Marco Mattei (mayor of Albano laziale), Mario Matteucci ("Star & Crown" Monarchical Party), Nicola Matteucci (historian), Ezio Mauro (editor, "Repubblica" daily newspaper), David Meghnagi (professor), Giovanna Melandri (deputy, Ds), Stefano Menichini (editor, "Europa" daily newspaper), Pierluigi Mennitti (editor "Ideazione" quarterly, together with the whole board), Enrico Mentana (journalist), Mauro Miccio, Clemente Mimun (director, Tg1 TV news), Marco Minniti (deputy, Ds), Fiammetta Modena (counselor, FI, Umbria Area), Gigi Moncalvo (journalist), Andrea Monda (journalist), Giorgio Montefoschi (writer), Esterino Montino (senator, Ds), Raffaello Morelli (Federation of Liberals), Stefano Morelli (vice president, Youth of Ppe Party), Assuntina Morresi (professor), Claudio Moscardelli (counselor Margherita Party, Lazio Area), Movement of Christian Workers, Movement "Idea sociale con Rauti", Movement for Life of Milan, Giampiero Mughini (journalist), Luigi Muratori (deputy, FI), Giacinto G. Musicco (professor), Andrea Napoleoni (counselor, FI, Rome District), Matteo Luigi Napolitano (professor), Fabio Luppino (journalist), Magda Negri (member of direction, Ds), Chicco Negro (Italian delegate for the Green European Party), Raffaele Nevi (counselor, FI, Umbria Area), Fiamma Nirenstein (journalist), Susanna Nirenstein (journalist), Giuseppe Nitto (director, Center for Volcean Studies, Buccino – Sa), Cecilia e Davide Nizza from Jerusalem, Tonino Nocera (vice president Italy-Israel Fellowship of Reggio Calabria), Francesco Nucara (Deputy Minister of Environment), Carmine Cedro (representative, New Social Movement - National Right Wing) , Achille Occhetto (senator), Ilaria Occhini (actress), Peppino Orlando (theologisn & journalist), Giovanni Orsina (historian), Moni Ovadia (actor), Lodovico Pace (senator, An), Riccardo Pacifici (speaker, Jewish Community of Rome), Alfredo Pallone (FI, Frosinone), Mark Palmer (former U.S. Ambassador), Antonio Palmieri (deputy, FI), Angelo Panebianco (politologist), Renato Panella (FI, Rome), Marco Pannella (leader of the Radical Party), Giampaolo Pansa (journalist), Michela & Gianni Parenzo, Stefano Parisi (administrator, Fastweb), Vittorio Emanuele Parsi (professor), Gianluigi Paragone (editor, "la Padania" daily newspaper), Partito liberale italiano Roma, Alberto Pascucci (counselor, FI, Rome District), Leone Paserman (president, Jewish Community of Rome), Giorgio Pasetto (coordinator, Margherita Party, Lazio Area), Adriano Pastore, Luigi Pastorelli (director, Schultz Group), Claudio Pavone (historian), Marco Perduca (representative at U.N., Radical Transnational Party), Francesco Perfetti (historian), Giuseppe Pericu (mayor of Genoa), Aldo Perrotta (deputy, FI), Savino Pezzotta (secretary general, Cisl Trade Union), Enrico Pianetta (senator, FI, president, Parliament Italy-Israel Fellowship), Camillo Piazza (secretary, Green Party, Lombardia), Gustavo Piga (professor), Gaetano Pilastro (counseler, Municipality of Castegnero - Vi), Paolo Pillitteri, Nicola Piovani (musician), Daniel Pipes (editor, Middle East Forum), Richard Pipes (Harvard University), Lapo Pistelli (deputy to the European Parliament, Margherita Party), Stefania Podda (journalist), Guido Podestà (deputy to the European Parliament, FI), Norman Podhoretz (writer), Antonio Polito (editor, "Riformista" daily newspaper), Vittorio Possenti (philosopher), Giorgio Pressburger (writer), District of Benevento, Giordio Carta (secretary, Psdi Party), Ezio Quarantelli (Lindau Publishing House), Enzo Raisi (deputy, An), Umberto Ranieri (deputy, Ds), Pietro Raschillà (journalist), Elisabetta Rasy (writer), Ermete Realacci (deputy, Margherita), Giovanni Reale (philosopher), Gaetano Rebecchini (president, Centro Orientamento Politico), Tullio Regge (physician), Loris Reggioli (Movimento Pensionati of Tuscany), Yasha Reibman (speaker, Jewish Community of Milan), Gustavo Reichenbach (professor), Fiorella Angrisani & Alessandra Servidori ("Rete delle Donne Passaparola" Association), Mario Andrea Rigoni (writer), Carlo Ripa di Meana, Ludovica Ripa di Meana (writer), Claudio Risé (psychoanalyst), Carlo Riva (journalist), Franco Rizzo (professor), Donato Robilotta (president of counselors, New Psi Party, Lazio Area), Eugenia Roccella (writer), David Rosen (Rabbi from Jerusalem), Carlo Rossella (editor, Tg5 TV news), Ivo Rossi (counselor, Municipality of Padova), Luciano Rossi (coordinator, FI, Umbria Area), Anna Rossi-Doria (historian), Gianfranco Rotondi (deputy, Dc), Sergio Rovasio (director, Radical Party), Michael Rubin (editor, Middle East Quarterly), Gianni Ruotolo, Gian Enrico Rusconi (historian), Giovanni Russo (journalist), Emilio Sabattini (president, Modena District), Linda Laura Sabbadini (director, Central Institute of Statistics), Giovanni Sabbatucci (historian), Maurizio Sacconi (Deputy Minister of Welfare), Ubaldo Salomoni (counselor, FI, Emilia Romagna Area), Gianni Sammarco (president of counselors, FI, Lazio Area), Angelo Sanza (deputy, FI), Bia Sarasini (journalist), Amalia Sartori (deputy to the European Parliament, FI), Enrico Sassoon (American Chamber of Commerce in Italy), Alessandro Sattanino (economist), Mariolina Sattanino (journalist), Luciana Sbarbati (secretary, Repubblican European Party), Ivan Scalfarotto, Daniele Scalise (journalist), Sergio Scalpelli (director of foreign relations, Fastweb), Lucetta Scaraffia (historian), Paolo Scarpa Bonazza Buora (Deputy Minister of Agriculture), Aldo Schiavone (director, Italian Institute for Human Sciences), Gary Schmitt (Project for the New American Century), Antonio Sciortino (editor, "Famiglia Cristiana" weekly magazine), Roger Scruton, Beppe Sebaste (writer), Luciano Segre, Gustavo Selva (deputy, An), Marina Sereni (deputy, Ds), Giuseppe Sermonti (genetist), Vittorio Sermonti (writer), Antonello Sette (journalist), Giuseppe Simeone (counselor, FI, Formia District – Lt), Giorgio Simeoni (counselor, FI, Lazio Area), Sergio Soave (journalist), Antonio Socci (journalist), Adriano Sofri (journalist), Gianni Sofri (president , Municipal Counsel of Bologna), Luca Sofri (journalist), Marta Sordi (historian), Valdo Spini (deputy, Ds), Sergio Stanzani (president, Radical Transnational Party), Guido Stompanato (vice secretary, Cdu Party, Casalnuovo di Napoli), Vittorio Strada (historian), Aryo B. Pirouznia (Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran), Daniele Tagliacozzo (counseler, Municipality of Ancona), Antonio Tajani (president of deputies to the European Parliament, FI, vice president, Ppe), Luciano Tas (writer), Marco Taradash (Riformers & Liberals), Paola Tavella (journalist), Francesco Tempestini (member of direction, Ds), Massimo Teodori (historian), Chicco Testa (president, Rome Subway), Antonio Tomassini (senator, FI), Aldo Torchiaro ("Nessuno" Tv news), Lucio Toth (president, National Association for Venice Julia & Dalmatia), Giuseppe Trepiccione (national counselor, Green Party), Livia Turco (deputy, Ds), Uil Trade Union, Ada Urbani (counselor, FI, Umbria Area), Adolfo Urso (Deputy Minister of Production), Pietro Vanicelli (smayor of Russi – Ra), Giorgio van Straten (president, Palaexpo, Rome), Iaia Vantaggiato (journalist), Gianni Vattimo (philosopher), Roberto Vecchioni (pop singer), Walter Veltroni (mayor of Rome), Riccardo Ventre (deputy to the European Parliament, FI), Cosimo Ventucci (Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade), European Green Party, Gianni Vernetti (deputy, Margherita Party), Marcello Vernola (deputy to the European Parliament, FI), Giorgio Vittadini (president, Foundation for Subsidiarity), Luca Volonté (president of deputies, Udc Party), Elie Wiesel, Elisabetta Zamparutti (administrator, "None Should Touch Cain" Association), Luigi Zanda (senator, Margherita Party), Stefano Zappalà (deputy to the European Parliament, FI), Viktor Zaslavsky (historian), Stefano Zecchi (counseler, Municipality of Milan), Franco Zeffirelli (film director), Tobia Zevi (president, Union of Young Jews of Italy), Giuliano Zincone (journalist), Nicola Zingaretti (president of deputies to the European Parliament, Ds), Alan S. Zuckerman (professor), Ettore Lomaglio Silvestri (Cultural Association "Let Us Fight Mafia").

An appeal by Magdi Allam
Why we, Muslims, must be there
("Corriere della sera", November 1, 2005)

Launching an appeal to the Muslims of Italy asking them to join a demonstration in support of Israel can probably cause someone to accuse me of treachery. Notwithstanding this, this is what we must absolutely do. It is necessary as it never was before. We live in a time of obscurantist nihilism which mainly infected the Muslims. We can only rediscover the value of our live and of the life of others through a clear recognition of the right of Israel to exist.

Let us start by admitting that many Muslims who live in Italy are against the right of Israel to exist, and that even among those who are not agaisnt this right many are afraid of the consequences deriving from freely voicing their view. Il is fear. Fear of being accused of treachery. But treachery of what? Of the so-called "Palestinian question"? But Palestinian themselves admitted at Oslo, in 1993, that Israel has a right to exist.

Or a treachery of Islam? In this case I must ask: of which Islam? The one of bin Laden, who massacres Muslims and non-Muslims in the whole world? Or the one of the Muslim Brotherhood, which controls most of the mosques of Italy and abuses of democracy to spread an Islamist and seditious agenda? To understand this, one must simple re-read the interview with the national secretary of Ucoii (the Union of Islamic Communities and Organizations in Italy), the convert Hamza Roberto Piccardo, published by "Panorama" weekly magazine on last September 22. When asked whether Israel have a right to exist, Piccardo easily answers «No, since Israel is a colonial State created through ethnic-religious cleansing».

To the opposite, we must mention a courageous and enlightened young Muslim, Khalid Chaouki, a columnist of "News" weekly magazine. He said: «I will participate in the demonstration planned for Thursday in Rome since I am against the Iranian leader who want to cause a clash of civilizations through instigating the cancellation of the historical presence of Israel and of the Jewish people. As Western Muslims, we cannot passively watch similar threats to Israel and to the Jews, since by doing so we would simply deny the value of the Holocaust in the history of the West and in leading to creation of the State of Israel. Unfortunately many Muslims lack this awareness, especially when they live of the other side of the Mediterranean See, where negationist propaganda is growing».

Souad Sbai, president of the Federation of the Moroccan Associations in Italy, says «we will surely participate in the demonstration. We do not need provocations, we need peace. Moroccans have a tradition of peaceful coexistence with Jews and admit the right of Israel to exist. As Italians, we cannot but defend the right of every people to exist».

Ali Younis, an Italian of Lebanese origin, a physician anesthetist at the State Hospital Pescara, says that Ahmadinejad «went crazy, the war lasted for 60 years, and none of the two fighters will be able to cancel the other. As a supporter of peace and of the Palestinian State, I stand for the right of Israel to exist. That is the reason why I will join the demonstration.». Mario Scialoja, a former Ambassador of Italy, and a convert to Islam, will also join: «What the Iranian president say is foolish - he declared - The right solution is two States for two peoples». I could collect many other similar declarations, but I must honestly say: the Muslims who have the intellectual awareness and the human courage to recognize the right of Israel to exist are a minority.

Ignorance is widespread, and fear is even stronger. It is time to clearly say that those people who deny the right of Israel to exist are the same ones who oppose the creation of an independent Palestinian state. This is what happened in 1948, when the Arab armies, in order to prevent the foundation of the Jewish State were only able to prevent the creation of the Palestinian state mentioned in the UN resolution 181 of 1947. We must also ask: Jordan annexed Cisjordan in 1949, and Egypt administrated Gaza until 1967. Why the always opposed the eventuality of creating a Palestinian state in those territories?

The truth is that is the Palestinians are moving toward the creation of an independent state, they mainly owe this to Rabin's courage and determination. We must also had that, if the Palestinian state had not yet been create that mainly depends on the terrorism of Hamas, of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and of a part of Al Fatah. The prefer going on denying Israel's right to exist, even if this means preventing the creation of the Palestinian state. There is a close connection between admitting the right of Israel to exist and recognizing the universal value of life. That is the reason why today the real discrimination between civilization and barbarianism is recognizing the right of Israel to exist.

WE ARE ALL ZIONISTS!
By Paolo Guzzanti
("Il Giornale", November 3, 2005)

I must confess that the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad convinced me: now I am a Zionist. I have never been a Zionist until the day the new Hitler of Tehran promised the Jewish people a final solution to be realized through those hose nuclear bombs which are been built under Europe's nose, until he promised to take vengeance upon all those who today are going to demonstrate to defend Israel's right to exist.

Ahmadinejad claimed we are all Zionists, so let us make him happy: let us all wave the white and blue flag with the Star of David under his nose. Today those who believe in morality are in the street to demonstrate for Israel. We will also be in the street to protest against the terror gang which reigns in Tehran. We go there to ask that Ahmadinejad and the other people who threaten the existence of Israel and the existence of the civil world are removed from that power they usurp from the Iranian people, removed with good or with bad manners. This time we do not need to move stones or to search houses looking for weapons of mass destruction. the Iranian regime is itself the weapon of mass destruction which represents a threat for its own people and for all peoples who fall within the range of its missiles. They mainly threaten Israel, but they also threaten us. The missiles the new Hitler is building can either reach Rome, or Jerusalem, or Tel Aviv. They must be immediately destroyed together with the thugs who torture the Iraqi people, resort to kidnapping to sponsor terrorism, hang their women up, imprison and kill their journalists. Where are you, soft people of Freedom House, where is Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo, the Kenyan representative of the United Nations who dared to claim that Italians lack that same freedom which is so abundant under the mullahs' regime? And what about Zionism: if Ahmadinejad likes to call Zionists all those who support Israel, well, we are proud to be called Zionists, exactly like John Fitzgerald Kennedy was proud to shout in front of the shame of Berlin's wall: «Ich bin ein Berliner, I am a Berliner, too». Yesterday we were proud Berliners, and today we are proud Zionists.

We need to destroy the mullahcratic gang which causes bloodshed in Iran, threaten Israel, spread their Islamic Nazism and is ready to point its missiles toward us. Maybe we can destroy them without moving infantry divisions and without flying bombers. We must support a military intervention of the Iranian opposition before resorting to an international coalition. Even so, it is probable that there will be no coalition, and that the Untied States will be compelled to do the dirty job by themselves again. They will be left alone again to perform a task which should be a moral duty for all the democratic and civil nations.

Today even traditionally pro-Arab and pro-Palestinian politicians like Sen. Giulio Andreotti are seriously worried for the words we hear from Tehran. We are glad to realize that we are reaching a common feeling, so that the Italians are not divided anymore by left or right, but only divided by honesty or opportunism. Today the civil and political representatives of honest Italians will be in the streets of Rome to answer the appeal coming from Giuliano Ferrara. For the first time we will see together, under Israeli flags, men and women who in their daily political life oppose and deprecate each other. Our message will echo clear and loud: we will never forsake Israel, and will also never forsake the Iranian people in the hands of its butchers.

FROM ISRAEL: THANK YOU ITALY!
By Deborah Fait
("www.informazionecorretta.com", November 4, 2005)

As usual, pro-Israel demonstrations take place in peace and happiness: flags, banners, but no hatred for anyone; only love for Israel.

There are no rioters, nothing is destroyed, shop owners are not afraid, people demonstrate with flags smiling, singing, greeting and waking hands in hands.

During the last five years, this is the second time that Giuliano Ferrara asks the Romans to demonstrate for Israel, and Romans gladly answer his call. The one who has a flag with the Star of David in his drawers takes it out, puts it one his shoulders or one a stick and goes out, out for Israel.

The one who has no Israeli flag go looking for it or picks an Italian flag up. All of a sudden Rome is painted in white and blue and echoes Jewish songs.

So I happened to hear Italians sing our Anthem, Hatikva', the Hope, together with the Italian Anthem, out of love for Italy which is the home of Italian Jews.

Yesterday evening, while watching the Israeli TV broadcasting the demonstration from Rome, I wept when I saw Giuliano Ferrara shouting in the microphone "LONG LIFE ISRAEL, LONG LIFE ISRAEL". I was moved to sob.

We, Israeli, are not so frequently loved, and when it happens, and happens in such a beautiful way, which so many people who run in the street for us, for Israel, to say to that Iranian fanatic nut that he will destroy no one and nothing, I cannot bear the emotion.

All the Israeli media gave a wide coverage to the pictures showing the Romans waving our flag, and I felt proud to be Italian after suffering some much for other kind of demonstrations.

Do you remember? I am referring to those unworthy demonstrations of hatred where the participants, disguised as kamikazes, shouted "DEATH TO ISRAEL", burned our flags and brought banners wishing Zionism and Zionists a sudden death.

Those demonstrations made me feel ashamed.

They cause my temper to rise and to produce bitter tears.

They used to demonstrate in support of those who bombed our buses, causing tens and tens of innocent people to die. They used to demonstrate and to shout all of their hatred toward us.

Yesterday nothing was like the past. Yesterday there was Israel in the streets of Rome, and there was the real, civil and respectful Italy, too.

Political parties were solid in participating together, the left with the right. Our friends of the Cultural Institute of the Italian Islamic Community were there, and Scialoja, the former Italian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, was also there.

The Foreign Minister Fini promised to be there but was absent. He changed his mind at the last moment. The Defense Minister Martino also changed his mind. What a delusion.

They formal argument is that a member of a Government cannot demonstrate in front of an Embassy of a Foreign country. Should we accept this explanation?

When a foreign Embassy represents a country who is led by a fanatic I think that Ministers must voice their protest, too. No doubt that Minister Martino is a good friend of Israel, and I suppose Minister Gianfranco Fini is a friend, too. They were nevertheless afraid

Friendship is not in question; maybe it is only a problem of balls.

The communist leader Bertinotti refused to participate. As a real hypocrite he claimed "I will not be there since Palestine is not even mentioned in the appeal".

Oh, Mister Bertinotti, was a ridiculous explanation...

Ahmadinejad was not asking to destroy Palestine!

In this case, Mr. Bertinotti, Palestine is not the issue at all.

This time the issue was only Israel and a threat to destroy her. Your hypocrisy is completely unveiled, Mr. Bertinotti. You regularly join demonstration were participants shout "Death to Israel", without objecting and without putting any condition.

Have you ever said "I will not participate unless terrorism is openly condemned"?

Did you ever said something like this, Mr. Bertinotti? No, never, and this means that even in your case it is a problem of balls. Some people have them and some people miss them.

I do not want to deal with those who refused to participate in the demonstration, of the Italian friends hezbollah, of those Italians who do not recognize Israel's right to exist. I cannot but despise them, but am compelled to admit they are coherent with their hatred.

Their friend Ahmadinejad wants a world without Zionism, and they want the same thing. Their friend Ahmadinejad want to destroy Israel and they will never object to this. Better for them not to try to join the demonstration.

They prefer joining other demonstrations, demonstration characterized by hatred and fanaticism, where flags are burned and dustbins are thrown into the streets.

Those 15,000 Italians who demonstrated FOR ISRAEL in Rome and the other thousands who demonstrated in Milan and Turin, together with those who put a burning candle at their windows are people having balls and having a heart, a great heart, a heart which loves this Country and which wants to show its solidarity, since this country never ceased to suffer, never ceases to be threatened by destruction, and never cease to live in fear.

So I tells all of them, from Israel, in the name of all the Israelis, since they think so and many of them asked me to tell Italians:

"THANK YOU ITALY".

ZIONISM IS NOT A TABOO ANYMORE
By Shaykh Abdul Hadi Palazzi
("L'opinione delle libertà", November 5, 2005)

Ahmadinejad's raving madness already caused a miracle in Italy: as soon as the president-torturer of Iran declared his intention to "erase Israel from maps" the friends of Israel immediately mobilized to restate Israel's right to existence, to security and to peace. We, the pro-Israel Italians, had to strenghten our ranks, and we were so many. More than one could guess.

Arranged within few days, the pro-Israel demonstration in front of the Iranian Embassy saw more than 15,00 participants, including almost the whole spectrum of parliamentary political parties, the Coordination Center of the Iranian Opposition and qualified representatives of the Jewish, Catholic, Evangelic, Muslim and secular world. There is a single possible explanation: the number of Italians who are solid with Israel and with her struggle against Islamist terror is growing, and the number of politicians who are compelled to take this change into consideration is fortunately growing, too. The Italian public opinion - in its wide majority - is today pro-Israel and Zionist, while antisemitism disguised as anti-Zionism - until recently considered politically correct in certain intellectual milieus - is today unmasked and understood for what it really is: a fanatic, anti-democratic ideology which is only supported by a a small group of thugs and old-fashioned communists.

While opening the demonstration, the deputy editor of Italy's main newspaper "Il Corriere della sera", the Muslim Magdi Allam clarified was it was so important for Muslims to participate, declaring that for all moderate Muslims supporting Israel means supporting a democratic State which has been fighting for years against that Islamist fanaticism which threatens the peoples of Middle East through suicide terrorism. The Catholic representative of the "Meeting for Friendship among Peoples" declared that Catholics are morally bound to support the State which preserves the Holy Places of their religion, while the Chief Rabbi of Rome, Riccardo Di Segni, explained how the desire to destroy Israel is a millenary dark disease, and thanked Jews and non-Jews who assemble to show their support for Israel.

The message repeated under the windows of the Iranian Ambassador was extremely clear: by launching his anti-Israel campaign, the Khomeinist regime is simply preparing its hoped, imminent ruin. The more the mullah regime will increase its hatred campaigns, the more the democratic citizens of the world will isolate that regime and will defend Israel and the Iranian opposition fighting against the mullahcracy.

Home Page