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  • Italian Ceremony Marks Racial Laws

    Italians and the Catholic Church, not only fascism, bear responsibility for Jewish persecution during World War II, Italy’s leading right-wing politician said. Gianfranco Fini, the president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, made his remarks Tuesday at a ceremony in Parliament marking the 70th anniversary of the imposition of anti-Semitic Racial Laws, imposed by the… More ▸

  • Italian Court Rejects Lawsuit by Nazi War Criminal Priebke

    An Argentine researcher and journalist said he feels “a strong sense of relief” after a three-year battle in Italian courts ended with a Nazi war criminal’s lawsuit against him being thrown out. Uki Goni was referring to a Milan court’s March 23 decision to reject a claim by convicted Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke, who… More ▸

  • Book Reviving Blood Libel Charge Has Italian Jews Livid, People Reading

    A just-published book by an eminent Italian-Israeli historian that revives European blood libels has Jews in Italy and abroad in an uproar. But the furor hasn’t hurt sales. “Bloody Passover: European Jews and Ritual Murder” sold out so quickly after its arrival in bookstores Feb. 8 that another edition is on its way. Ariel Toaff,… More ▸

  • Obituary Iconic Italian Journalist Fallaci Fought Fascism and Anti-semitism

    The crusading Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci spent the last years of her life issuing fiery warnings against a Muslim world that she saw poised to overrun the West. Critics accused Fallaci of sowing racial and religious hatred, but she became a heroine to many Jews and Israelis for her vocal defense of Israel and denunciations… More ▸

  • Berlusconi, Friend of Israel and U.s., Narrowly Loses Italian Election

    Over the past five years, the center-right Italian government headed by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi emerged as one of Washington’s staunchest allies — and one of Israel’s strongest supporters in Europe. Now, however, Berlusconi’s loss in national elections to Romano Prodi– whose center-left coalition includes some far-left parties that are strongly pro-Palestinian — will mean… More ▸