May 4, 2007 - Washington - The American Jewish Committee presented its Mass Media Award to Magdi Allam, vice editor of Corriere della Sera, Italy's prestigious leading daily. Allam was honored at AJC's 101st Annual Meeting in recognition of his outspoken support of Israel and consistent warnings about the threats to Western society posed by the "myths" spread by radical Islam.

"Israel represents affirmation of the sanctity of life for all human kind," said Allam in a passionate address that prompted a sustained standing ovation. "Standing up for Israel's right to exist means standing up on the right side of the divide between civilization and barbarity."

Born into a Muslim family in Cairo, Allam attended an Italian Jesuit school.  He discovered Judaism through friendship with an Egyptian Jewish girl, whose religion was previously unknown to him before he was arrested and questioned by Egyptian police about his "Zionist" ties. Allam subsequently emigrated to Italy, where he has become an internationally recognized journalist and valued friend of the Italian Jewish community.

In his many articles, speeches, and appearances on Italian TV, Allam has consistently denounced anti-Semitism in the Arab media. He has written extensively about persecution of Jews in Arab countries and their emigration. Additionally, he was the main speaker at a rally in front of the Iranian Embassy several months ago to protest against Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call to "wipe Israel off the map."

As a result of his outspoken and courageous writing and speaking, Allam noted that he is under permanent police protection by Italian authorities.

"The AJC Mass Media Award encourages me to go on with more and more determination to assert the truth and defend the right of human life for all, including, centrally, the State of Israel," said Allam, who warned strongly about the corrosive myths about Jews and Israel propagated across the Arab world.

"Refusing to recognize Israel has only hampered the Palestinians" in their own political aspirations, Allam added.

Allam announced that his new book, Long Live Israel, will be published on May 15 in Italy.

Previous recipients of the prestigious AJC Mass Media Award include Bill Moyers, Steven Spielberg, and Melanie Phillips.