Italian Minister of Tourism and Culture has denied reports of acting in "solidarity" with Israeli settlers
|
|
|
Italian Minister of Tourism and Culture Massimo Bray has denied claims
of acting in "solidarity" with Israeli settlers after meeting with a
leader of the illegal Jewish settler community in the Old City of
al-Khalil ('Hebron') on Tuesday.
A statement released by the Italian consulate denied these "specious" allegations, highlighting that the visit was not in "solidarity with the settlers" but was instead part of a mission to "contribute to Palestinian institutional building in the field of culture and tourism promotion." The statement added that the minister had visited the old city and had, "sorrowfully seen the consequences of occupation in order to give testimony about them," stressing that Italy's official position is that "settlements remain illegal under international law." Youth Against Settlements, a Palestinian activist group, earlier accused Bray of showing "solidarity with fanatic Israeli settlers" and of acting in "clear contradiction with EU regulations and declared policy to stop any support and/or cooperation with the Israeli settlements in the West Bank." "Bray is now seen as a partner in the occupation and oppression regime of the Israeli government and settler movement, which carries out human rights violations in Hebron on a daily basis," said a statement posted by the group on Facebook. |
