“She begged me to come here, otherwise I wouldn’t have come.” Elena Basile, writer and former ambassador, finally gets up and leaves Piazzapulita after an evening of back and forth with Corrado Formigli, in an episode that lasts Arguments and early farewells culminated.
“I believe in journalism that doesn’t perform, but looks for answers…” Basile addresses the moderator during the discussion. “You should ask yourself what can be done for the children” of Gaza “who will die tomorrow. What can be done is that instead of banning pro-Palestine demonstrations, major European countries could demand the opening of the border crossing with Egypt “To allow the support of children, to bring out the sick, to bring in medicine. If there are 200 hostages, we should say: ‘We have to save the hostages because in return Israel will promise not to bomb the houses,'” he said to a confused Formigli.
The transmission takes place between duels with the other guests. Mario Calabresi tries to explain his opinion. “Doctor Calabresi, now I will speak…” Basile repeats. Nathalie Tocci, director of the Institute for International Affairs, is “rebuked” by Basile. Formigli tries to get the discussion going again, but the situation seems endangered. “I’m leaving, I can’t calm down when I think about the children in Gaza waiting to die while we’re here debating whether Hamas is a terrorist organization and whether Israel should respect the rules. This is not a legal question.” “It’s a political question,” Basile complains about alleged interruptions. In the end, the break proves to be irreparable. The former ambassador stands up: “You asked me to come here, otherwise I wouldn’t have come. Thank you,” she says and turns to Formigli. The journalist’s answer closes the parenthesis: “It was a pleasure.”
Basile and the “predecessor” of Otto e mezzo
Within 24 hours, Basile is the protagonist on la7’s screens twice. On the evening of Wednesday, October 11, Otto e mezzo provoked a reaction from Aldo Cazzullo, who, when the interlocutor delved into an analysis of the hostages in the hands of Hamas, blurted out: “The White House believes that it is only very There are few American hostages. “Hands of Hamas,” says Lilli Gruber. “Very few American hostages are bad news – explains Basile – if there were many hostages, I believe that the United States could take on this role of moderation …” Cazzullo immediately intervenes and blurts out: “How can you say that it “It’s not good news that there are few American hostages, but shame on your scholarship!” The former ambassador tries to remedy the situation by explaining that “Washington would have a duty to exert greater influence if there were American hostages “. And turning to Cazzullo: “He didn’t understand the problem.” Basile continues speaking and Gruber intervenes to close the matter.