Silvio!
If only we had a politician in America who was this honest and forthright. “During visit, Berlusconi draws parallel between Ahmadinejad and Hitler,” by Nir Hasson for Haaretz, February 2 (thanks to Pamela):
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi drew a connecting line yesterday between his visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, the Iranian nuclear program, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s denial of the Holocaust and calls for Israel’s destruction.
“We must watch out,” the visiting premier said. “We’ve already had one such madman in history.”
Berlusconi also said his great dream is for Israel to join the European Union.
Speaking at a welcoming ceremony hosted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly after his arrival in Israel, the Italian leader said he would like to his visit produce “a shared commitment to work together for the future.”
“I hope that all of us together can look forward to a future of prosperity, and mostly of peace for your people, whose existence is still doubted by someone whom we all wish to oppose,” he added.
And by some who should be opposed more energetically than they are.
In response to the Italian leader’s statement, Netanyahu said that “Rome and Jerusalem laid the foundations of Western civilization. Thus it is important for Italy and Israel to stand beside each other, determined to defend our future and our cultures.”…