ITALIAN PM SAYS DIALOGUES IS NECESSARY FOR PROGRESS, PRAISES ISRAELI DEMOCRACY AND DECLARES SUPPORT AT INDEPENDENCE DAY EVENT.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Wednesday that Italy will not recognize a unilaterally declaration of Palestinian statehood.
Speaking at an event in Rome in honor of Israel's Independence Day, Berlusconi said "when there is a dialogue that will represent all of the Palestinians, we can make progress."
"Italy has always stood by Israel," he added, "even within the framework of the EU when it opposed decisions that were unbalanced and unjust towards Israel."
The Italian prime minister praised Israel for being the only true democracy in the Middle East and said that his country supports Israel when it is in "difficult situations."
"According to the Bible, God created on the sixth day Moses's staff, the Bible, the manna from heaven and the rainbow," Berlusconi said. "May Israel be strong as Moses's staff, fair as the Bible, as blessed as the manna and as happy and joyous as a rainbow."
"There can be no future other than peace in our region," he added.
