An Israeli Settlement in Italy Under Threat

This article first appeared in Times of Israel Blogs.

Valsesia (Piemonte) Italy

 There is an area in the Piemonte region of Northwest Italy called Valsesia, a series of valleys. One of the small towns in this area is Varallo. The mayor of Varallo, Pietro Bondetti, received a letter at the town hall about a week ago, along with a bullet inside the envelope. The letter, printed in stencil and signed by the “Anti-Zionist Movement”, drew attention to a settlement of about 70 Israeli families living in the area. The letter went on to state that they would not tolerate any more Israeli families and threatened to “start shooting if the settlement continued to grow. Here is an article from the Italian newspaper, La Stampa, which I have translated and which gives further details.

Aside from what is contained in the article, I can state that Mayor Bondetti has received support and solidarity from the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella. In addition, it is reported that the Israeli families living in the area are people who have chosen to get out of the Middle East to escape the wars and tensions that go along with them. They are reportedly not very religious and would not be considered as being real Zionists. These are people who are living quietly, renovating abandoned buildings, saving dying villages, and keeping a low profile.

I have been checking the local news for updates, but it seems that, as of this writing, there have been no arrests. The obvious question, especially given the situation in Europe, including Italy, is whether the writer(s) of this letter are Italians or immigrants, particularly from some Muslim country. At the risk of jumping the gun, I will offer a few thoughts as an American who lived in Italy for 5 years.

Either possibility exists. I do not consider Italians, as a people, to be anti-Jewish. However, the radical left in Italy, as elsewhere, has linked arms with the pro-Palestinian movement, and that implies at least a tolerance of anti-Semitism, in my view. In addition to the leftists and anarchists, the country has had its problems with organized mafias in Sicily, Calabria, and Naples. There was also the infamous Red Brigades of a few decades ago. So it is entirely possible that the letter writer(s) are Italians.

It is also entirely possible that they are people who have brought a centuries-old hatred for Jews with them as they migrated to Italy, legally or otherwise. If that is the case, it is hoped that once identified and prosecuted, they will be deported. But it is premature to make that claim.

There is another point that must not be overlooked here. If the writer(s) are only “anti-Zionist”, why would they threaten people who are not really Zionists and not overly religious? My only conclusion is that the real issue here is that they are Jews. If my reasoning is correct, whoever they are, it is another example of how the claim of so many millions of people that they are not anti-Jewish, just anti-Zionist, rings hollow.
Having never been to Israel, I cannot claim to be an expert here. It may be that some readers in Israel, who consider themselves Zionists, may not feel empathy for this group of Israeli exiles, people who have chosen to leave. With all due respect, however, what matters more is how the Italian people and the Italian state react to this very troubling incident. I believe they will step up and stand with this community because the Italian people are generally good and compassionate people, and this community, the Israelis, the mayor, and any other figures associated with the Israelis, must be supported. I have a feeling the writer(s) will be identified and punished for this act. If it involves non-Italians, I hope that punishment will include deportation.