Italian politician Mara Carfagna: “If the West abandons Israel, it will be abandoning itself”

“Mara Carfagna: ‘If the West abandons Israel, it will be abandoning itself,'” a translation of “Mara Carfagna: ‘Se l’occidente abbandona Israele, abbandona se stesso,’” L’Informale, February 11, 2016:

Mara Carfagna, the Minister for Equal Opportunity from May 2008 to November 2011, among Italian politicians has been one of the stoutest defenders of Israel. Mindful of ethical issues and civil rights, she was chosen by Berlusconi to be in charge of the civil and human rights section of his party, Forza Italia.

We wanted to speak with her not only about Iran, but about the growing antisemitism in Europe, and the boycott of Israeli goods from the territories. We thank Mara Carfagna for agreeing to grant this exclusive interview to L’Informale, and for having restated her strong support for Israel and for the Jewish people.

Mara Carfagna, you have on many occasions spoken out openly in favor of Israel, as few other politicians have done. Do you really think Israel’s case is so hard to understand?

No, I don’t, if you look at the real situation, and not through the lenses of anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist prejudice. I have faith in the history, traditions, and culture of Israel. But above all, I believe in the rights of the Jewish people. In their right to claim their homeland, where they can live securely, free of discrimination and persecution. I believe that those who would deny Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state are very often motivated by prejudice rather than by political disagreements.

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