Tension at opening of Turin book fair honouring Israel

[oberliner]

TURIN, Italy (AFP) — Italian President Giorgio Napolitano opened the prestigious Turin book fair in the northern city on Thursday amid Muslim anger over the choice of Israel as the event's guest of honour.

"No dialogue is possible if there is a refusal to recognise Israel," Napolitano said at Israel's special stand at the fair.

There can be no "rejection of the reasons for its birth (60 years ago) or of its right to exist in peace and security," he added.

Israel's stand was swamped by hundreds of people, many draped in the Israeli flag, with one group holding a banner that read: "I feel Jewish today."

"A special thanks with all my heart goes to President Napolitano for his strong position this year, after the calls over recent months to boycott the Book Fair because of Israel's presence," said Israeli Ambassador to Italy Gideon Meir at the fair's opening.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gKEbO1oy4T4u96FGY6hH5EYzs8PA