Wiesenthal Centre to Italian Interior Minister: “The so-called 'Intifada of Knives' has apparently arrived in Italy.”

November 13, 2015

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE-EUROPE
Tel.: +33(0)1 47 23 76 37
Fax: +33(0)1 47 20 84 01
Email: csweurope@gmail.com

“Rapid measures are vital... Muslim leaders must publicly condemn anti-Semitism in their mosques, schools and media... Italy cannot allow Jihadism on its soil.”

Paris

In a letter to Italian Interior Minister, Angelino Alfano (pictured), the Simon Wiesenthal Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, expressed shock that, “The so-called 'Intifada of Knives' has arrived to Italy in yesterday's attack on a Jewish man outside a kosher restaurant in Milan. The hooded attacker reportedly shouted, 'I will kill you'.”

The letter called on Alfaro as, “Italy's responsible official for counter-terrorism, to immediately draw the lessons of this assault by following the measures of your French counter-part, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, in posting armed military at every Jewish synagogue, school and other vulnerable institutions across Italy.”

Samuels stressed, “Nor will the copy-cat transfer of an Intifada to Europe be limited to the Jewish community – present in Italy since the early Roman period... As we have seen in the Charlie Hebdo and Jewish supermarket incidents in Paris, though Jews may be the primary victim, the terrorist's strategic target is democracy itself.”

The Centre called on the Minister for immediate action, “Prosecution of the perpetrator, in this case, must demonstrate the firm will of Italy to counter such outrage,” adding, “Rapid measures are vital on the ground and in the air – regarding Internet/social media. Muslim leaders must be prevailed upon to condemn anti-Semitism, focusing on this stabbing, in their mosques, and the media.”

“Mr. Minister, Italy can not allow Jihadism on its soil,” concluded Samuels.

For further information please contact Shimon Samuels 00 33 609 770 158, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).