Segre, Boldrini tries to patch things up after the blunder. And has the courage to attack Donzelli –

Brothers of Italy attacks, the Democratic Party distances itself, the Chamber of Deputies refers to the responsibility of the parliamentary groups. Thus the conference organized by deputies of the Democratic Party, Avs and M5s which has as its subject “Palestine, between propaganda and disinformation” becomes a ‘case’. But what is causing discussion is not so much the theme of the conference as the presence among the speakers of Nicola Quatrano, a lawyer and former magistrate. Brothers of Italy, with Giovanni Donzelli, recalls that Quatrano was the author of some posts on social media in which he commented on the words of senator for life, Liliana Segre: “The word genocide is now used to talk regarding anything, any war, any battle, any position taken. While I met her and by a miracle she spared me”. Senator Segre is, in fact, a survivor of the Holocaust and has been committed for years to keeping its memory alive. It was March 16 and Quatrano responded with a quote from the author Laurent Guyenot: «About the biblical psychopathy of Israel, that the most characteristic trait of the psychopath is the complete absence of empathy and, consequently, of moral inhibition in harming others, combined with the thirst for power». Words that FdI read as a direct accusation to Segre: «Solidarity with Liliana Segre», writes the head of organization of FdI, Giovanni Donzelli: «Laura Boldrini, Stefania Ascari and Franco Mari are organizing a conference at the Chamber on Tuesday with various extremists, including a certain Quatrano who insulted Liliana Segre by calling her a ‘psychopath because she is Jewish’», he adds. «He did so by quoting an essay full of hatred, anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. We await the indignation on the unified networks of La7, Repubblica, commentators and various dispensers of ‘democratic legitimacy’», concludes Donzelli.

To this, the deputy Elisabetta Gardini adds the request that the Chamber not allow the conference. The same request comes from the deputy group leader of FdI, Alfredo Antoniozzi: «I formally ask the president of the Chamber, Fontana, a moderate person with a high sense of state, to revoke the concession of the room for the meeting on Tuesday in which the lawyer Quadrano will participate». The press office of Montecitorio, however, points out that «the press conferences are held under the full and sole responsibility of the deputies, or groups, who take care of the booking, and who are responsible for the contents, and of the participants in them, under every profile. The Presidency of the Chamber, in light of this, and as constantly underlined in the past, does not carry out any control of merit, neither on the contents nor on the participants». Despite this, however, the presidency of the Chamber expresses «complete closeness and absolute respect for Senator Liliana Segre».

In the opposition ranks, a group of parliamentarians from the Democratic Party also distanced themselves from the initiative. “We express our full solidarity with Senator Liliana Segre: Nicola Quatrano’s words, spoken some time ago, are still shameful,” wrote Francesco Verducci, Simona Malpezzi and Antonio Nicita, vice-president, group leader and member of the Pd of the Extraordinary Commission on intolerance, racism, anti-Semitism, incitement to hatred and violence, in a note. “The tragedy that is unfolding in the Middle East cannot give rise to instrumental attacks, which only fuel more hatred and resentment. Liliana Segre’s words of solidarity towards each victim are clear and very strong: may they be an example for everyone.” While the case is mounting, Laura Boldrini writes a message to Senator Segre: «I have just sent Senator Liliana Segre a message to renew my esteem and affection and to express my solidarity for the words written, some time ago, by the lawyer Quatrano and of which I was in no way aware», reports Boldrini in a note in which she states that she is «clearly distancing herself from what was expressed by the lawyer Quatrano, whom I do not know, whose presence, scheduled for the press conference next Tuesday at the Chamber, remains incompatible with mine». As a footnote, however, Boldrini adds a consideration on the head of the FdI organization: «A diligence, that of Donzelli, that we did not see in the face of the unmistakable images of the Fanpage investigations on the young people of his party who praised Mussolini and Hitler with anti-Semitic and racist expressions and regarding which we waited a good 15 days before hearing a few words of criticism. You see, Honourable Member? In the face of certain revelations, one must not hesitate».