While Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi displayed mixed political messages during his visit to Israel and the West Bank on Wednesday, host President Mahmoud Abbas announced his determination to move forward with peace talks.
Palestinian leaders must move ahead with the peace process, Abbas told reporters at a news conference with Berlusconi, noting steps were being made with "Arab brothers and friends." He told the conference Palestinians should expect an official announcement in the coming weeks.
Though Berlusconi expressed sadness over the loss of life and destruction of Israel's war on Gaza while he was in Bethlehem, he told Israel the offensive was a justified response to the firing or homemade projectiles by Gaza militant groups. His criticism of the Goldstone report stemmed from the same sentiments; he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu it "tried to incriminate Israel for its justified response to Hamas rockets."
According to a Reuters report, the Italian leader did "not notice" the 8-meter concrete separation wall he drove through en route to Bethlehem, telling an Italian journalist who asked about his impression of the structure, "I'm going to let you down because I didn't notice," according to Reuters.
"I was getting my thoughts in order on what I would say to the president," he said. "I apologize for that."
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