If It Goes in Italy - Why Not Israel?

One of the most traumatic experiences a significant portion of Israel's citizenry has undergone in the last two years has been the process in which Ariel Sharon pursued his disengagement policy.

You are all aware of the feelings amongst many, and not only among those that vigorously opposed disengagement, that this policy was less than democratic.

He reversed himself 180 degrees and even more than his opponent who only wished to remove Israel's presence from part of the Gaza District.

He fired two minsters even before they could vote against the plan in the cabinet robbing them of their democratic duty awarded them by the voters.

He reversed himself on the Likud internal vote, refusing to abide by a democratic vote.

He used threatening language to bully MKs to support him.

He used financial inducements to promote MKs to ministerial and sub-ministerial positions.

And we're still awaiting the outcome of the police investigation whether or not his original selection as Likud head was the result of criminal activity and whether or not bribery was a pattern of his for many years prior to that.

Anyway, what has Italy to do with all this?

Well, read on:

ROME (Reuters) - A 78-year-old Italian woman is suing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi because her pension has not been raised despite his pre-electoral pledge five years ago.

Back in 2001, when he was leading the centre-right opposition, Berlusconi said during a television talk show that if voted into office he would boost pensions to at least 516 euros ($624) per month as part of his "contract with Italians". He went on to win that year's general election.

But Ida Severini, a pensioner from a town near Rome, says she only receives 378 euros ($457) per month. She told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that she voted for Berlusconi in the 2001 polls because of his promise to raise pensions and now wants him to explain why he did not fulfil his pledge. "I was hoping to get that money, but it did not come," Severini told the newspaper.

Antonio Di Pietro, a former magistrate turned opposition politician whose party is backing Severini's legal battle, told reporters on Friday Berlusconi would have to appear before a judge in Rome on February 28 for "failing to fulfil a promise to the public".

"Either five years ago Berlusconi was joking or his contract with Italians was a serious thing. If it was an empty promise, voters will understand they cannot trust him. If it was a serious thing, then it is only right that he has to answer in court," Di Pietro said.

If Berlusconi loses, I'm in court the very next day.