Poll shows 17 percent of Italians oppose Israel's existence

[Gimel]

(The real threat to Israel's existence could be world opinion, indifference, and disinformation)

Italians have mixed feelings toward Israel and the
Jewish community in their country, according to a
poll published Monday, which indicated there is
stereotype-laden racism among one fifth of
Italians.

In the national survey, which
appeared in the daily
Corriere della Sera, seventy
percent of responders said
Israel had a right to exist
despite bad policies of the
Israeli government, while 17
percent thought it would be
best if Israel ceased to
exist altogether.


Also, 22 percent of respondents said that
Italian Jewish citizens "are not real
Italians," while 51 percent of those polled
expressed the belief that Jews had a different
mentality and lifestyle to other Italians.


http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/359530.html

[Muddleoftheroad]

1. Poll shows Italy also sided with Hitler

Amazing how some attitudes never die.

[edzontar]

3. Mussolini sided with Hitler...Italy paid a horrible price

Bombing, occupation, devastation.

Italy is not a monolith any more than France or Israel are.

I used to live there. Italians are pretty nice folks, over all.

As to the poll, 17 % is not that big a number.

Of course, it would be better if it was smaller.

But given the fact that the right in Italy is still fairly strong, and has very deep Fascist, anti-Semitic and racist roots, I am surprised it was not much worse.

So there may actually be cause for hope is this poll--if you look at it another way.

[bluesoul]

4. To be honest

people like Fini and Bossi in the current Italian goverment are a big problem and sadly some still haven't dealt with their countries past and don't see a problem with supporting the successors of Mussolini's party. They may not be in majority but unfortunately they have gained power in Italy which is troubling to say the least...

[Aidoneus]

5. roots well-represented by Berlusconi and his partners in crime,

who were recently hailed as a great "Friend of Israel". Go figure..

[Forkboy]

18. Didn't Berlusconi just get an award from the ADL?

the mind boggles.

[Muddleoftheroad]

6. "17% is not that big a number"

In my experience ALL peoples by group are pretty nice folks. But 17% means nearly one in five. That's a hell of a lot considering Israel is just across the sea.

Yes, Mussolini, but he had troops. And many in Italy seemed just fine about how things were going till they started losing. Victory has many fathers, defeat is an orphan.

[edzontar]

7. I am only saying that i thought it would be worse....

The Berlusconi-Bossi-Fini right is in power now in Italy, as some of my colleagues have noted...and anti-Semitism is quiet rife in that movement.

But I suspect that as the older generation is dying out, some of the old bigotry and xenophobia is passing along with it.

Note I said SOME. The most visible bigotry in present-day Italy is directed at Africans, Blacks, and Muslims--especially Albanians,

[edzontar]

16. True enough

n/t

[drdon326]

2. (shaking my head in disbelief)

"Also, 22 percent of respondents said that
Italian Jewish citizens "are not real
Italians," while 51 percent of those polled
expressed the belief that Jews had a different
mentality and lifestyle to other Italians."

let me guess.....its anti-zionism and not anti-semitic.

[edzontar]

8. As a group, Italians tend to have have some xenophobic ideas....

They tend to view almost anyone from another country or culture with a certain suspicion or "distancing"--if you live there, you definitely get that feeling.

Italy, for all its historical and linguistic diversity, is not a "melting-pot" kind of country.

[Cassandra]

9. Which is OK with you?

"Italy, for all its historical and linguistic diversity, is not a "melting-pot" kind of country."

But you get your knickers in a twist if Israel shows itself to be less than the perfect melting pot; if Israel doesn't wish to welcome even suicide/homicide bombers with open arms. Hmmmmm......

[edzontar]

10. NO--but it is still a fact..whaddaya want me to do about it?

Give them a lecture?

I am just observing a fact.

Make of it what you will.

[drdon326]

11. wow

"As a group, Italians tend to have have some xenophobic ideas...."

Cassandra's right...youre willing to give Italy a pass , but Israel,
who is undergoing relentless terrorism, doesnt get a pass.

[BushCutters]

12. Now, you get it.

Have you read 'A Father's Plea' posted by me today?

[drdon326]

14. Great post...

too bad it was locked.

the double-standard hypocrisy would be laughable if it wasnt
so deadly.

[edzontar]

15. Not so....

And it is not my place to condemn either population en masse.

I have never said that Israel is a bigoted country--indeed, I have no way of knowing that one way or another.

I have only criticized the policies of the present regime.

As for Italy, recall what I said: I expected the percentage to be worse, based on my experience.

Ya see, I lived in Italy and experienced what I have described as a kind of xenophobia.

Maybe this is "off-topic", but there is a kind of barrier between Italians and "stranieri" that is sometimes difficult to breach.

I am not defending this attitude, nor am i really condemniong it. The experience of living in Italy is complex--people are friendly people, but are are also guarded.

Take it for what you will.

[edzontar]

17. WRONG--hey look you guys, if you want to make up what i said...

That is fine, and I'm glad you could bond over it or whatever.

But I don't give Italy a "pass"--I am not even sure what that MEANS.

And I have said nothing about Israelis being bigoted or xenophobiuc anywhere, so how you got to THAT, well maybe you can explain it me sometime.

[Classical_Liberal]

13. About the same as the US

considerably less then the average for the "Christian Zionist" crowd.