Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi began a state visit to Israel this afternoon, during which he will meet with President Moshe Katzav, Prime Minister Sharon, and other leaders. He announced that he would not meet with Yasser Arafat - and is therefore being boycotted by the PA's Abu Mazen and other PA officials. The PLO representative in Rome said that no Palestinian leader would meet with Berlusconi as long as he refuses to meet with Arafat. Berlusconi was also one of the lone European leaders who whole-heartedly supported the American attack on Iraq.