Other than the driving habits and the Mediterrainean use of body language, there isn't a lot of similarity between Italy and Israel. For example, nobody on earth is threatening to destroy Italy and massacre all of the Italians. They don't have rockets fired at them daily, or states developing nuclear weapons explicitly to wipe them out. They also don't have anything close to the deeply multicultural society of Israel, because the Italians were not exiled from their land by the Jews and left to wander the earth for 2000 years. Now, I love Italy and the (modern) Italians. But they are not Israelis. Ask Italian Jews if Israel is similar to Italy.

Italians???? Nothing wrong with them, but its really a stretch just because we enjoy lattes.

Like Italy we get early elections and a new government every couple of years on average. Also we're both hairy and have overbearing mothers lol.

Whoever has written this article he doesn't know the correct situation of the Italian politics. The italian left, communist and socialist that proclaims himself popular, they are the most corrupt, bad business, mafioso and racist of all the west. To the contrary, the Italian right, League North particularly, currently is the best that pursues the plan more liberalistic and popular. There are affinity with the Jewish People, it there is not no doubt. The Israelis are considered the Greater Brothers from the best part of the Italians, especially to the North of Italy. And Israel the Place Saint for excellence.

Yes indeed, even the landscape resembles more and more Tuscany! If You don't know you're in Israel, you might tink that you're in Italy.

What a fantastic article! And how true it is!!! I can tell you this because I love both countries! And I know both the Italians and the Israelis! And they are so similar! It is history, perhaps, it's tradition, it's culture, it's the Mediterranean, the food, the beauty of the land and of the people, the weather, the meaning of family, friendship, love... Once again, Oz, thank you very much! You made my day!

Italy and Israel similar? Thats like saying greece is like spain. What were you smoking before you wrote this rubbish? Pizza and falafel all contain dough but they taste completely different. The proof is in the pudding, or the cannoli if you like. Yours tastes a bit sour, I suggest you use fresh ingredients instead of that instant rubbish you buy at the supermarket. Alternatively get yourself a new fountain pen and marvel at how nice it looks, and when something reasonably intelligent pops into that strange brain of yours, then maybe you can think about writing it down. Bona fortuna. I hope your career and ability will improve, otherwise god help us.

I agree with you, Michael! But I do firmly believe that if you have a new government every couple of years, or you manage, like Italians did, to bring down the government 36 times in 50 years, that that is Real Democracy at work!!! It's the democratic countries like Italy and Israel that can do that!!! There are quite a few so-called "democracies" in Europe that do not allow that! There are Prime Ministers in Europe "glued" to their chairs, to power...unmoved by mass protests and failures! You and I know why...! This will never happen in Italy and Israel...real democracies run by real people!

Silvio, Silvio....What a cocktail of crap! But really really a big cocktail, Silvio! Not a small one! And I'm not referring to your English. Mine can be as bad as yours, especially when I reply to an ignorant and racist talkbacker (not you, obviously. We can tell that you are a "PROUD" Northener, pure and immaculate)! Because you, Silvio, can't be racist although you praise the Northern League and the North of Italy with so much passion (?). Who believes anymore that the Northern League is the most virulent party in Europe? That they don't even accept Italians coming from the poor South to work...! That they put signs up like "Dogs and Southern Italians not allowed"...That they want secession from the rest of Italy to defend their riches from rest of the population... That was long time ago, Silvio! Now you have progressed and are more liberal than before! That's why you're not racists anymore! Jeeezz...what a weekend I'm having!!!

And i was under the apparently mistaken impression that we were becoming more like Afghanistan

You are Enzo but don't know nothing of the Italy! The People of the North is the victim of the racism in Italy! The People of the North is forced to work 15 hours to the inclusive day the Festivities for maintain a National thievish organization and sluggard! The People of the North is the Hebrews flagellated from Rome! I don't know how to speak the English well but I have not dazzled from the Communism like you! The communism is synonymous of poverty, death, desperation and wars! Ask it to the Hebrews that the persecutions have lived. They were million. Communism and Nazismo are the same thing. Here in Lombardy we call the communists red Nazi! You are Englishman and perhaps roman. I am Lombardo from hundred of years. By and waked up!

Israel like Italy? LOL. There are 58 million Italians, who are not in danger of foreingers stealing half of their historic lands and committing a general genocide against them. Last time I checked Rome and Vatican were not occupied by Arabs. And the only reason Israeli political structure is bad is because nobody is willing to do anything to change it.

I lived in Italy for 5 years, and Israel for 4. I was rarely frustrated by the Italian culture vs. daily frustration with the Israeli culture. Israel can't make a proper cappuccino to save it's life. Whatever you're smoking, I don't want any.

any clever goy know very well that it's an honor for him if we say that he looks like israeli.if you're israeli and not proud of that,leave israel.you don't deserve to be israeli.

"there are no Arabs here!'. :-)

I was greatly amused by this article. It is to be hoped that Italians and Israeli's will be able to transmit reciprocally the best features of their characters and personalities. I fully share Silvio's comment of the 27th., to which I may add: it was the deprecated Berlusconi's government that improved the relation between Italy and Israel, after 4-5 decades of pro-Arab politics by the previous goverrnments; it was its Vice-Premier and Minister for Foreign Affairs Gianfranco Fini who formally concluded the re-conciliation between the two countries and paid twice an official visit to Israel and was taken by Israeli officials to that memorial cemetery, Vad Yashem (I'm not very sure about the name) as a token of acknowledgement of the new relationship between the two countries. It is Prodi's present leftist government that has dumped everything, and reverted to a totally pro-Arab position. I would like to remind Mr Almog that Berlusconi has been charged with the imaginable and the unimaginable, but has always been acquitted in all trials he had to go through. Perhaps it would be better to write about Italy with some better knowledge of it, instead of keeping taking and presenting as true the conventional trivia and falsities. I am 78 years old, and at the time of the 1938 fascist racial laws my age was 9; I am a life-long pro-Israeli, and a member of the local (Perugia) chapter of the Italy-Israel Association. Sorry, gentlemen, but this kind of facetious articles are not very apt to complete the reconciliation process. I, for one, resent it - or, better, its final lines. Very truly, Giorgio Iraci, M.D., F.A.C.S.

We have such good wine in Israel, but no culture of drinking wine. In Italy any place that serves food has wine, and here it's limited to retaurants.