Israeli embassy in Rome honors victims of October 7 with ceremony

The Israeli Embassy in Italy, together with the Union of Italian Jewish Communities and the Jewish Community of Rome, held a ceremony at the Great Synagogue of Rome to honor the victims of October 7. The event was attended by Israel’s designated ambassador, Jonathan Peled, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and a range of ministers, politicians, military officials, business leaders, and cultural figures. Family members of the hostages also attended, showing solidarity with Israel one year after the attacks.

Tension marked the atmosphere, as the event occurred two days after a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Rome turned violent, leading to clashes with police. General Pasquale Angelosanto, Italy’s coordinator against antisemitism, reported a 400% rise in antisemitic incidents targeting Italy’s Jewish community over the past year.

Victor Fadlun, president of the Jewish Community of Rome, described the challenges faced by Italian Jews in the past year. “During the marches, they chanted ‘death to the Jew’ or ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!’” he stated, explaining that the latter phrase implies a call for Israel’s erasure. He spoke of desecrated memorial stones and highlighted the community’s efforts to “uphold the legacy of the Jewish Brigade against Nazi fascism” while ensuring their safety. He also expressed gratitude to political figures and journalists for their support in conveying the truth.

Israel's ambassador speaks

Ambassador Peled, originally from Kibbutz Neot Mordechai, an evacuated kibbutz in northern Israel, framed the ongoing conflict as a broader struggle. He emphasized that Israel’s fight is not only for its own survival but also for the protection of Italy and Europe, depicting the conflict as one between Western civilization and Islamist extremism. “We cannot afford to lose this war, and that’s why we will win it,” he said. Peled also addressed Iran, referencing a potential Israeli response to the October 1 missile attack. “There is something far more significant than seeking others’ approval; it’s our right to exist.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni did not speak at the ceremony but issued a statement to the press. “Remembering and firmly condemning the events of a year ago is not just a ritual,” she said. Meloni warned that any reluctance to do so indicates “a latent and pervasive antisemitism that should alarm us all.”

Meloni further stated, “On October 7, 2023, the Israeli people faced one of the most harrowing chapters in their history.” She condemned Hamas for its “brutal aggression” and expressed solidarity with the hostages “taken from their families and loved ones, who are still waiting to return home.”

In closing, Meloni reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself while emphasizing adherence to international humanitarian law. “We cannot turn a blind eye to the immense suffering of innocent civilian victims in Gaza, who are victims in two ways: first, of Hamas’s cruelty, which uses them as human shields, and then of Israeli military actions.”