Italy’s New Communist Party publishes blacklist of ‘Zionist agents’ supporting Israel
Group condemned for naming more than 150 public figures across politics, media and business including journalists, chief rabbis and companies including Ahava and SodaStream
The New Communist Party of Italy has been denounced by fellow politicians for releasing an extensive list of individuals they allegedly find “guilty” of supporting the existence and survival of the state of Israel.
The list on the party’s website is called Zionist Organizations and Agents in Italy and has more than 150 names of Jews, Israelis and Italians across politics, media, business, technology and military.
It is split into seven sections, including Israeli financial and insurance companies active in Italy, another called “Zionists present in the Italian mass-media”, “Zionist representatives of political parties” and “Israeli real estate companies”.
Those listed across the sections include journalists, professors, the former Italian Ambassador to Israel, Luigi Mattiolo; former President of the Jewish Community of Rome, Riccardo Pacifici; the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Rome, Riccardo Di Segni, the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Milan since 2005, Alfonso Pedatzur Arbib and Adolfo Locci, the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community of Padua since 1999.
The New Communist Party refers to them all as “Zionist agents who must be condemned and fought against”, adding that “the Zionist entity is an integral part of the power system of the Papal Republic.”
It claims that its “research on the presence of Zionists in Italy is still limited” because, often “Zionist investment funds, banks, speculators and businessmen hide thanks to the cover of US imperialist groups behind formally US companies or with their own offices in tax havens” and secondly, that “the level of Zionist infiltration is transversal to different sectors of society and combined in various forms, some even occult (action of the Mossad and Israeli paramilitary groups, shell companies, trusted men on the payroll of Zionist imperialist groups at various levels inserted in the institutions, etc.”
It adds that they must be “condemned and fought against” and that the list is a work in progress, appealing to readers to contribute.
The actions of the left-wing group have been condemned by other politicians. Ignazio La Russa, co-founder of ruling right-wing Brothers of Italy, has called on left-wing parties to denounce the list:
“I find it very serious that the New Communist Party has published on its website names and surnames of politicians, journalists and entrepreneurs ‘guilty’ of having supported Israel. This is a serious and unacceptable attack on freedom of thought and a worrying threat to the safety of the people involved.”
He added by calling for its “unanimous condemnation.”
In a post on Twitter/X, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre said: “The New Communist Party of Italy has published a list of Italian Jews who are “guilty” of supporting the existence and safety of #Israel, saying they should be “condemned and fought.” Treating support of Israel as a crime and trying to publicly shame Jews for doing so is deeply #AntiSemitic. Credit to multiple Italian political parties for labeling this as anti-Semitic.”
Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, posted to Twitter/X: “The Italian communists are reverting to the old Soviet model of disguising antisemitism as anti-Zionism. I guess this attempt will be as successful as all the other communist endeavours.”
The Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) reports that The New Communist Party defended the list, calling it retaliation for a ‘smear campaign’ against Gabriele Rubini, a former semi-professional rugby player, chef and TV presenter. Also known as Chef Rubio, he has reportedly posted several antisemitic and anti-Israel comments on social media since October 7th.
Conservative commentator Ferdinando Iuliano published images referring to both televised comments made by Rubini, and the New Communist Party’s directions on how to download the list, which refers to “la lotta contro organisimi e agenti sionisti in Italy“, or “the fight against Zionist organizations and agents in Italy”.
The online pamphlet, dated 22 August, refers the fight to “support the resistance of the Palestinian people and to free our country from Italian and foreign imperialist groups and in particular from the US NATO protectorate”.
Jewish News has approached the party for comment.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
