(vosiznies).Before Berlusconi spoke today at the Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed him "as a courageous leader who always stands by Israel's side."
He concluded a speech filled with praise for Berlusconi with a story of a heavily pregnant Italian woman who confronted a German officer during World War II and, at great peril to her own life, persuaded him to let an arrested Jewish woman go.
This woman's actions "saved the life of the Jewish woman and cast, if only for a brief moment, a scintilla of humanity and courage upon the great darkness that enveloped the whole of Europe at that time," Netanyahu said.
"That courageous woman's name was Rosa. And one of her children is called Silvio Berlusconi, today the prime minister of Italy," the prime minister said.
Netanyahu concluded his remarks by telling Berlusconi that, "We appreciate you. We embrace you. We love you.”
The two men embraced, and the Italian leader took out a white handkerchief to wipe tears from his eyes.
Wednesday marked the second anniversary of Rosa Bossi Berlusconi's death.
He concluded a speech filled with praise for Berlusconi with a story of a heavily pregnant Italian woman who confronted a German officer during World War II and, at great peril to her own life, persuaded him to let an arrested Jewish woman go.
This woman's actions "saved the life of the Jewish woman and cast, if only for a brief moment, a scintilla of humanity and courage upon the great darkness that enveloped the whole of Europe at that time," Netanyahu said.
"That courageous woman's name was Rosa. And one of her children is called Silvio Berlusconi, today the prime minister of Italy," the prime minister said.
Netanyahu concluded his remarks by telling Berlusconi that, "We appreciate you. We embrace you. We love you.”
The two men embraced, and the Italian leader took out a white handkerchief to wipe tears from his eyes.
Wednesday marked the second anniversary of Rosa Bossi Berlusconi's death.
