ROME - Silvio Berlusconi has evoked outrage from Italy's Jewish community after remarking that he and his children feel persecuted, similar to the Jews in Nazi Germany, after attacks from Italian politicians.

 

Silvio Berlusconi has been known to make controversial comments over the years and once again he has outraged an entire community. On Wednesday, a partial transcript from an interview with Signor Berlusconi and journalist Bruno Vespa was released. When questioned about his legal troubles and his family's thoughts on the issue, he responded: "My children say that they feel like Jewish families in Germany under Hitler's regime. Truly, everyone is against us."

 

The comments received criticism from many leaders of Rome's Jewish community. President of the Union of the Jewish Italian Community Renzo Gattegna, stated that the remarks by Signor Berlusconi were "not only imcomprehensible but also inappropriate and offensive to the memory of those who were deprived of all right." In a similar statement, the president of the Jewish Community of Rome, Riccardo Pacifici, called the comments "totally out of place."

 

Signor Berlusconi attempted to make amends for the comments, later stating: "My story, my friendship toward Israel, my consistent government action in favour of the State of Israel, do not allow any doubt about my awareness of the tragedy of the Holocaust and my respect for the Jewish people."