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|---|---|
| Born | (1975-02-04)4 February 1975 Besana Brianza |
| Died | 15 April 2011(2011-04-15) (aged 36) Gaza |
| Occupation | International Solidarity Movement activist, journalist, blogger |
| Language | Italian |
| Nationality | Italian |
Vittorio Arrigoni (4 February 1975–15 April 2011) was an Italian reporter, writer and peace activist.
Biography
Arrigoni was born in the town of Besana in Brianza, near Milan, Italy. He claimed that it was in his blood to fight for freedom as his grandfathers fought against the former fascist regime in Italy. He had the Arabic word for resistance (muqawama) tattooed on his right arm. Once he passed his maturita exams in Italy, he began traveling around the world. In 2002, he visited Jerusalem which according to his mother was the "moment he understood his work would be concentrated there." His mother, Egiddia Beretta, is the mayor of Besana.
Arrigoni was credited as one of the many activists who revived the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a pro-Palestinian pacifist group that works in the Palestinian territories. In August 2008, he participated in the Free Gaza humanitarian mission aimed to break the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip in place since June 2007 when Hamas took power in the territory. He was on the first boat that arrived in the Port of Gaza, describing that moment as "one of the happiest and most emotional" of his lifetime. While volunteering to act as a human shield for a Palestinian fisherman off Gaza's coast in September 2008, Arrigoni was injured by flying glass after the Israeli Navy used a water cannon to deter the vessel. In November, he was arrested by Israeli authorities after again acting as a human shield for fishermen off Gaza's coast. He returned to Gaza prior to the Israeli military's offensive against the territory Operation Cast Lead in December 2009.
He worked with Radio Popolare and as reporter for the Italian newspaper Il manifesto; in the 2009 published the book Restiamo umani, a collection of his reportages from Gaza, translated in english as Gaza, Stay Human with a preface by the Israeli historian Ilan Pappé; the book was translated also in spanish and german.
Kidnapping and death
After several death threats, in April 14, 2011 he was kidnapped by a terroristic group called Tawhid wal-Jihad.
The day after, his corpse was found during a blitz in a inhabitation in Gaza City.
Notes
- ^ Kalman, Matthew. Idealistic blogger 'was more Palestinian than the criminals who killed him'. The Independent. 2011-04-16.
- ^ Hooper, John. Vittorio Arrigoni: pacifist supporter of the Palestinian cause. The Guardian. 2011-04-15.
- New video released of slain Italian activist: 'Day I arrived in Gaza was happiest of my life'. Haaretz. 2011-04-15.
- Radio Popolare, announcements archive
- Amazon, Gaza, Stay Human
- Mideast: Radical Palestinian group executes Italian activist, Adnkronos International, 15 April 2011.
- Hamas Says It Found Body of Italian Activist, New York Times 14 April 2011
- Mideast: Radical Palestinian group executes Italian activist, Adnkronos International, 15 aprile 2011.
- Kidnapped Italian activist killed in Gaza, al Jazeera, 15 April 2011.
- Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni found dead in Gaza
Links
- Guerrilla Radio, Vittorio Arrigoni's blog from Gaza.