(ANSA) – MILAN, MAY 09 – The conference on Israel which should have been held last week at the Milan State University has been definitively canceled and will therefore not be held in June as was initially explained. “The rector of the University of Milan, Elio Franzini, reiterated to us yesterday in written form his firm intention not to allow the in-person conference on ‘Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East’ to take place, initially scheduled for Tuesday 7 May – explain in a note Cristina Franco, president of the Italy Israel Association of Savona and Alessandro Litta Modignani, president of the Milanese pro-Israel Association -.
It is clear that there is no political will to allow a conference to be held in the presence of a conference that represents the reasons and reconstructs the history of Israel and its present reality, also with regards to aspects of international law. “. “In Italian universities the violent people, the troublemakers, the extremists who prevented Maurizio Molinari and David Parenzo from speaking, dictate the law, while in Milan there is only room for the propaganda of Francesca Albanese and Moni Ovadia – they continue – and in various universities have given, without any objection, a voice to characters such as Leila Khaled or Omar Barghouti”. “We note this with profound disappointment and bitterness. We are not defeated by the denial of our conference, even if many liked to define us as such – they conclude -. Freedom of speech and Italian democracy are defeated and first of all the educational system and university institutions, fearful in the face of the blackmail of violence rather than pillars of open dialogue and safe places for all”. (ANSA). .
