VENICE – Jewish community criticizes Ateneo Veneto over event on “genocide”

The Ateneo Veneto, the oldest cultural institute in Venice, has longstanding ties of friendship and collaboration with the Jewish community. These ties deepen “the profound regret” expressed by Dario Calimani, president of the Jewish community, upon learning of a conference scheduled for January 9 at the venue titled “You feel as if you were subhuman – The genocide of Israel against the Palestinian population in Gaza” organized by Amnesty International. This “profound regret” is articulated in a letter Calimani addressed to the president of the Ateneo Veneto, Antonella Magaraggia.
In the letter, shared with Pagine Ebraiche, Calimani writes that “one can hold widely divergent and opposing views about what is happening in Israel and Gaza,” but it is another matter entirely “to engage in Third-Worldist demagogic propaganda, using language akin to that of partisan cheering, without bothering to provide a comprehensive historical perspective on a tragedy involving all actors on the stage.” Addressing the Middle Eastern context, Calimani accuses Amnesty International of having “always maintained a very specific stance, continuing to use it as a platform to fuel further hatred with language that is certainly not that of proponents of justice and peace.”
Calimani recounts receiving a response from Magaraggia, clarifying that the Ateneo had “only” made the room available, while the organization of the event was solely Amnesty International’s responsibility. “A disappointing response,” Calimani calls it. “How is it possible that no discernment is made about the proposals, that no consideration is given to what is appropriate and what is not?” he asks. “By acting as it has, the risk is that every topic appears acceptable. But that cannot be the case.”

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