Berlusconi defends Holocaust remarks

(see related) (ANSA) – Rome, November 6 – Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi defended himself Wednesday for saying his children told him they felt like the Jews must have in Hitler’s Germany because of the alleged judicial persecution against him.

“This argument is blatantly specious, based on a statement extrapolated from its ample context,” said Berlusconi. “My personal history, my friendship with Israel, my actions in office to help the State of Israel, don’t allow for any doubt regarding my knowledge of the tragedy of the Holocaust and my respect for the Jewish people”. In excerpts from a forthcoming book, the ex-premier and media magnate told journalist Bruno Vespa in an interview that “my children say they feel like the Jewish families must have felt in Germany during Hiteler’s regime”. Berlusconi, 77, is set to serve one year of community service for a four-year tax-fraud sentence – cut by an amnesty – which also carries a ban from office. He is appealing a six-year sentence for sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of power to cover it up; and a one-year sentence for involvement in the publication of an illegally obtained wiretap.

The three-time premier, who is threatening to bring Italy’s unprecedented right-left government down if the office ban is enforced, has also been indicted on charges of bribing a Senator to switch sides. Throughout more than 20 legal cases since he first swept to victory in 1994, Berlusconi has said he is the victim of leftwing elements in the judiciary.