The head of Italy's right-wing Northern League party, Matteo Salvini, has sparked anger with a tweet he posted in solidarity with Israel as the Jewish state comes under attack from seemingly endless rocket salvos from the Gaza Strip. Death threats have also been made against Salvini, who until recently served as the European nation's deputy prime minister and interior minister.
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In the tweet, posted to Twitter after he addressed a rally in support of Israel in Rome, Wednesday, the Northern League leader said, "I expect a clear stance from the Italian government, for them to have the courage to say that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are TERRORISTS: they do not want peace but destruction. #IsraelUnderAttack."
Those making the threats against Salvini are members of Italy's political Left as well as Arab and Muslim immigrants in the country.
In an interview with Israel Hayom, Salvini, whose party is now leading in Italian opinion polls, reasserted his total support for Israel and its right to self-defense.
"I had the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the Israeli people: a generous, supportive, welcoming, and industrious people. I express my support for the children, families, older people, and soldiers under threat for years from missiles, attacks, and Islamic violence. I hope the Palestinian refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish state will come to an end"
Q: Will you understand a sharp Israeli response to this existential threat?
"It's self-defense. What is unacceptable is the silence and hypocrisy of European institutions, the UN, and many governments in light of this unacceptable violence."
Q: Your support for Israel has made you the target of death threats. Is the Italian justice system acting against those making the threats?
On Friday, I will stand before the court where I may find myself before another trial because I prevented the arrival of illegal immigrants to Italy. They may sentence me to 15 years imprisonment for that. Back to your question: These threats against me don't scare me. The opposite is true: They empower me. I'm sorry to see that many of those insulting me [and threatening me] and my family with violence have lived in Italy for a while. Many of them are the children of immigrants that have lived in Italy for years.
Still, they are willing to heed the Islamist call that stands in direct opposition to the rights and democratic dignity of those who welcomed them into the great country of Italy."
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