Insults

By Daniela Gross

Even amongst friends, in the Italian political arena Israel is a highly divisive topic. Erri De Luca, one of Italy’s leading writers, realized it just a few days before the Paris attacks. As reported in The Huffington Post by Laura Eduati, “It all began with a poem titled ‘Homage to Jerusalem’, that was published in Hebrew in the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot: ‘There is a city in the world with knives in the hands of kids who come from the suburbs to randomly stab its citizens’. The poem tells about the fears of Jews because of the Palestinians attacks: ‘There is a city in the world where you write your will, before leaving home. Because bus stops, especially the crowded ones are fixed targets for cars launched on them on purpose’.”

On the social media, the writer was immediately accused of having taken a stand in favor of Israel and against the Palestinians and was vehemently attacked and insulted. “I think that Palestine has always been occupied,” he said. But, he asked, “Does admitting the historical evidence of the State of Israel mean that one is A Zionists?” “Those who hope to erase it [Israel) are partisans to mass extermination,” was his conclusion. However, his declarations didn’t help to stop the social media anger.

Notably, the attacks came mainly from activists of the extreme left movement, his previous best supporters against the controversial new high-speed rail (TAV) link between Lyon and Turin. Erri De Luca was deeply involved in this debate, and was just cleared of instigating violence against the TAV. However, it was not enough to protect him: Speaking or writing about Israel can divide even old friends.