AP Tries to Incite Israelis to Hate Silvio Berlusconi

Perhaps the AP couldn't fathom a European leader actually having an affinity for the state of Israel, but for whatever reason, they are trying desperately to put a negative taint on Silvio Berlusconi's trip there.

Here is how their article opens:

Italy's prime minister links Gaza war to Holocaust

By Dalia Nammari
Associated Press Writer / February 3, 2010

BETHLEHEM, West Bank—Italy's prime minister on Wednesday called for empathy for all victims, whether from the Nazi Holocaust or Israel's war in Gaza, drawing a link that threatened to tarnish a visit that has cemented his already warm ties with Israel.

Silvio Berlusconi's comments, while avoiding direct comparisons to the Holocaust, nonetheless could touch a raw nerve in Israel -- a country that was founded in the wake of the Nazi massacre of 6 million Jews and that is home to more than 200,000 Holocaust survivors.

"Could"...."could"...

Is the AP so hard up that they have to try to manufacture a non-existent controversy? Nowhere in the entire article does the AP actually present an Israeli who objects to Berlusconi's statement. They only imply that someone "could". Since when is a reporter's conjecturous implication a substitute for actual news content?How about we wait for an actual uproar before reporting that uproar....

In fact the article does go on to say:

"Berlusconi has been warmly welcomed throughout this three-day visit to Israel, and he has repeatedly spoken of his strong affinity for the Jewish state and expressed sorrow over the Holocaust.

[...]

Throughout his trip, Berlusconi received a welcome afforded to few other leaders. He was wined and dined by Israeli leaders, brought eight government ministers with him for a joint Israeli-Italian Cabinet meeting and got a standing ovation for a speech to the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem.

With all of the positive things mentioned in the article with regard to Berlusconi, if find it puzzling that the AP would lead with such as forced attempt at manufacturing a controversy.

The AP could have struck the first two paragraphs entirely, and more legitimately opened their story with the headline "Berlusconi Warmly Welcomed in Israel; Warns Against Nuclear Iran".

But I guess that wouldn't have attracted as many eyeballs.....