Jerusalem – Israel should be a member of the European Union, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Monday, as he kicked off a landmark three-day visit to the Jewish state and the Palestinian areas. “My greatest desire, as long as I am a protagonist in politics, is to bring Israel into membership of the European Union,” he said at a formal welcoming ceremony in Jerusalem.
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The Italian leader, accompanied by seven of his ministers, arrived in Israel Monday afternoon.
In the course of stay, he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni, and President Shimon Peres, and will also hold talks with Palestinian officials in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the first-ever joint Israeli-Italian cabinet session is slated to take place in Jerusalem and on Wednesday, in a rare gesture by Israel to a foreign leader, he is scheduled to address a special session of the Knesset.
Netanyahu said a series of agreements, including on energy, the environment and health, would be signed during the visit.
“We will work to strengthen and deepen the relations between Israel and Italy,” he said at the welcoming ceremony, and called Berlusconi “one of the greatest friends of Israel.”
“I can think of very few nations who have made such a contribution to Western culture as our two nations. In Rome and Jerusalem, the foundations for Western culture were laid,” he added.
Iran’s nuclear programme – which Israel sees as an existential threat – and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process are also expected to feature in the talks Berlusconi will hold during his visit.
Speaking to the Ha’aretz daily ahead of his trip, he called Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied West Bank a “mistake” which could be an obstacle to any peace settlement.
“It will never be possible to convince the Palestinians of Israel’s good intentions while Israel continues to build in territories that are to be returned as part of a piece agreement,” he said in an interview published Sunday.
“I would like to say to the people and government of Israel, as a friend, with my hand on my heart, that persisting with this policy is a mistake,” he said.
He supports Israel. Italy is a huge economic partner for Israel. Italian cruise lines have been bringing their ships to Israeli ports even when others were pulling back out of fear. We don’t have to agree on everything to recognize who our friends in the region are. The strategic alliances that have been built around religious tourism alone have brought big money to Israel.
But of course, since he disagrees with the political decisions on building in the territories, he is an obvious antisemite (sarcasm intended).
Silvio Berlusconi must be one of the biggest clowns in Global politics. I will never forget the news bulliten after he was re-elected “he is a man who enjoys his football and therfore the nItalians can relate to him”. What a joke of a country.
What’s the chiddush?
Israel was formally offered (more than once) to apply to become a member of the EU since the late 90s. They graciously refused.
To do so would negate the founding of Israel, would stop it from being a Jewish State, and would make the “law of return” illegal.
Any Muslim from France or Germany could hop on a plane to Tel Aviv and be allowed to vote for the Knesset. Israel would cease to exist as you know it – and the Jews there would be forced to flee and would all apply for assylum in the USA (or move to the UK, as full legal residents).
Italy has been a big supporter of the Medina for a long time. This is why Israel is filled with Italian products at good prices.
Looks like his bruises are gone…
Handy, you are really totally unfamiliar with how things work in the EU. Take the Netherlands for instance, as a non-national legal resident one is entitled to vote in the municipal and “watership” elections, not in the provincial, national or European ones. The provincial election is also the election of electors for the election of the Senate, so… You do not have to fear non-Israelis electing the Knesset. With other words, yes they do vote, but not for the government of the COUNTRY they are living in. Sure people can change their nationality, but they can now too.