Israeli official: Italy has cut relations with PA

By The Associated Press




Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi told President Moshe Katsav on Wednesday that Italy has cut contacts with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and other Palestinian officials since the killing of 29 Israelis in March, an Israeli official said.

In the hour-long talks in Rome with Katsav, Berlusconi also pledged "Italy's unconditional support of the right of the Israeli people to live in peace on their land," said Israeli Embassy spokesman Ofer Bavly, who attended the meeting.

Berlusconi's office gave no details of the talks despite several requests by The Associated Press. A Palestinian representative denied the claim.

Katsav, who arrived in Rome from Berlin on Tuesday, met with Berlusconi as part of a four-day visit to Italy that also includes talks with the Italian president, the Rome mayor and the Jewish community here. Katsav is scheduled to meet with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican on Thursday and return home the next day.

Berlusconi told Katsav that Italy has not had contacts with Arafat, or with any representative of the Palestinian Authority, since the suicide bombing in Netanya, which killed 29 people gathered for a
Passover dinner on March 27.

"Europe's economic assistance to the Palestinians should be unconditional, but Europe's political assistance should be made conditional on the end of all Palestinian terrorism against Israel," Bavly quoted Berlusconi as saying.

A Palestinian representative in Italy expressed "absolute surprise" at the remarks. Nimer Hammad said he saw Cabinet Undersecretary Gianni Letta on Oct. 18, and that he and a visiting official did not meet with Berlusconi only because the premier was out of town. "We're waiting for confirmation, or denial, by the Italian government," said Hammad.

Katsav came to Rome after a visit to Germany that was dominated by an Israeli request for German military assistance. The request sparked debate on how Berlin can help protect Israel without providing arms that could be used against the Palestinians.

During the meeting with Berlusconi, the president also lamented what he saw as Europe's difficulty in understanding the real situation in the Middle East. "One side is using terrorism, the other side is defending itself against terrorism," Bavly quoted Katsav as saying.

The Israeli president reportedly asked Berlusconi to press Iran to stop what he sees as support of international terrorism and to moderate anti-Israeli rhetoric. Berlusconi said he would "do his best to raise the issue," according to Bavly.

The meeting was described by the Israelis as "truthful, honest and friendly." Katsav described Berlusconi as "a real friend," according to Bavly.