Fiamma Nirenstein
Widely regarded as a "staunch support of Israel,"[1] Fiamma Nirenstein is an Italian writer and member of the Italian Parliament as a legislator within Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing The People of Freedom party.[2] Since 1998 Nirenstein has been a resident of the Israeli settlement of Gilo[3] (located in East Jerusalem), which Israel annexed during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Development in the settlement has resulted in Palestinian house demolitions and the displacement of Palestinian residents for years, causing it to be referred to as a major obstacle to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.[4] Gilo is categorized as illegal by the United Nations,[5] the European Union[6] and the International Court of Justice.[7] Nirenstein has worked in Israel and Europe and she contributes to the New York Post and Commentary Magazine.[2] According to Nirenstein's official biography, the "pivotal focus" of her work "is the fight against totalitarianism and terrorism as connected to anti-Semitism and hate for Israel."The pivotal focus and underlying idea that runs through all Fiamma Nirenstein's work is the fight against totalitarianism and terrorism as connected to anti-Semitism and hate for Israel.[2]
Early Life
The daughter of a former soldier in the Jewish brigade and a mother who allegedly fought against fascism in Italy as well as Nazism, Nirenstein has stated that she spent part of her youth as a Leftist and feminist in Italy, but changed after returning from a Kibbutz in Israel where she lived during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war:
- After the 1967 Six-Day War, a rift began to develop between her and her "communist comrades," who saw Israel as an occupying country. "I was confused for a long time," she says. "In 1982, I signed a petition against the First Lebanon War. Today I wouldn't sign it. What did Israel gain from the withdrawal from Lebanon?"[3]
Nirenstein argues that even though she has lived and worked in Israel, she has not obtained Israeli citizenship because it would hinder her work.[3] She attributes her fascination with Israel to her journalistic output on the region: "I had the feeling that this was the most interesting place in the world, and I also felt that the reporting on Israel was biased."[3]
Career
Nirenstein's writings and public speaking are unabashedly pro-Israel, with a heavy focus on an alleged victimization of Israel by Leftists,[8] international human rights organizations such as the United Nations[9] and Muslim and Arab nations.[10].
Nirenstein also argues that "every Jew in the world is an Israeli even if he's not aware of it. Anyone who doesn't know it is making a big mistake"[3] and stated during a speech in September 2010 that most allegations of anti-semitism are actually "anti-Israelism."[10]
Affiliations
Democracy and Security International Conference, Attendee [11]| Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Associate[12] | Member of the Global Forum against Antisemitism instituted by Nathan Sharansky[13] | Member of the board of the Italian Foundation Magna Carta[14]| Fellow of the Hudson Institute, Washington[14] | Director of the Italian Institute of Culture Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Tel Aviv in '93 and '94[14] | NGO Monitor, member of international advisory board[15] | Introduced and written prefaces for translations of the works of Bernard Lewis, Nathan Sharansky, and Ruthie Bloom in Italy.| International Advisory Board for Academic Freedom, conference participant [16] |
Publications
- (2007) Israele Siamo Noi, On the State of Israel as archetype for a liberal democracy at war with terror.
- (2006) La Sabbia di Gaza, On the Israeli disengagement from Gaza.
- (2005) Terror: The New Anti-Semitism and the War Against the West,An English-language selection of various articles.
- (2004) Gli Antisemiti Progressisti, A look at the new anti-Semitism.
- (2003) Islam, la guerra e la speranza, An interview with Bernard Lewis.
- (2002) L'Abbandono, come l'Occidente ha tradito gli ebrei, A book that argues the West has betrayed the Jewish people.
- (2001) Un solo Dio, tre verità, (One god, three truths)
- (1998) Come le cinque dita di una mano – una famiglia di ebrei da Firenze a Gerusalemme, Written with her family.
- (1996) Israele: una pace in guerra, Israel, at peace in war
- (1990) Il Razzista Democratico, The Democratic Racist
Contact
- Website: http://www.fiammanirenstein.com/
- Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiamma-Nirenstein/14103401719?ref=search
- Facebook personal page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000973369659&ref=search
Resources
- Book Chapter, Fiamma Nirenstein, 'How I became an "Unconscious Facist,"' published in Those who forget the past: the question of anti-Semitism by Ron Rosenbaum.
- Fiamma Nirenstein speech at the World Jewish Congress governing board in Jerusalem on 1 September 2010
Notes
- ↑ Cnaan Liphshiz, "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'", Haaretz, 8 August 2009
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fiamma Nirenstein, "Biography", Fiamma Nirenstein official website, accessed on 16 October 2010
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Meron Rapoport, "Haaretz: Nirenstein makes history", Fiamma Nirenstein website, 18 April 2008, accessed on 16 October 2010
- ↑ DPA, "UN official: Gilo expansion threatens Middle East peace", Haaretz, 24 November 2009
- ↑ UN New Centre, "Ban deplores Israeli decision to expand Jerusalem settlement", UN News Centre, 17 November 2009
- ↑ Leigh Phillips, "EU rebukes Israel for Jerusalem settlement expansion", EU Observer, 19 November 2009
- ↑ Victor Kattan, "The US-Israel Standoff over Settlements", Jurist, 7 April 2010
- ↑ "How I became an "Unconscious Facist", Mideast Outpost, accessed on 16 October 2010
- ↑ Fiamma Nirenstein, "The Left Is Now Rethinking: Enough Mud on Israel", Fiamma Nirenstein website, 9 June 2010, accessed on 16 October 2010
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Fiamma Nirenstein, "Fiamma Nirenstein at the WJC Governing Board", World Jewish Congress, 1 September 2010
- ↑ Democracy and Security Conference, List of Participants, Accessed 25-February-2009
- ↑ Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs Our Key People, Accessed, 12 September 2007
- ↑ Fiamma Nirenstein Global Forum contro l'Antisemitismo, accessed 8 August 2010
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 NGO Monitor Fiamma Nirenstein, accessed 8 August 2010
- ↑ NGO Monitor International Advisory Board Profiles, accessed 8 August 2010
- ↑ Text of Conference Invite Email
