NEWS Italian Center-Left PD Criticized Socialist International for Supporting BDS

By Rossella Tercatin

The Italian center-left Partito Democratico called “a serious wound to the spirit of peace and dialogue that has always inspired the actions of Socialist International in the Middle East” the decision by the organization to pass a resolution supporting the Boycott, Disinvest and Sanction Israel campaign”.

The Partito Democratico is currently not a member of the Socialists International, although the DS is one of the parties whose merger started it, was.

Expressing the position of the party was one of its leaders Piero Fassino, the head of Partito Democratico’s foreign affairs.

“A boycott does not help to reopen the peace talks. On the contrary, it promotes a punitive attitude towards all Israelis, including the ones that are striving to find a solution and peace with the Palestinians,” he said.

Following the resolution, the Israeli Labor party announced that it would no longer be a member of Socialist International.