Israel's Ambassador to Italy Alon Bar
said Sunday that the Sanremo Song Festival had been used to
spread hate after the singer Ghali made an appeal to "Stop
Genocide" on the final night of the event on Saturday.
"I am outraged that the stage of the Sanremo Festival was
exploited to spread hatred and provocation in a careless,
irresponsible way," Bar said via Twitter.
"In the October 7 massacre, among the 1,200 victims were over
360 young people slaughtered and raped during the Nova Music
Festival.
"Another 40 of them were kidnapped and are still in the hands of
the terrorists.
"The Sanremo Festival could have expressed solidarity with them.
"It is a pity that this did not happen".
Noemi Di Segni, the president of the Union of Italian Jewish
Communities, told ANSA she was disappointed that there had been
no "appeal for the release of the hostages in the hands of
Hamas" during the festival and complained at "the use of terms
that once again offend the history of our country and of all of
Europe.
"From now until the Eurovision Song Contest I appeal for the 136
hostages to be remembered every day," she continued.
"They too have the right to their music and to return to their
homes".
When asked about Bar's comments on Sunday, Ghali, who has
Tunisian roots, replied: "I've always talked about these issues
since I was a kid, not since October 7."
Roberto Sergio, the CEO of State broadcaster Rai which
broadcasts the festival, expressed "heartfelt solidarity with
the people of Israel and the Jewish community.
"Every day our news and programmes recount the tragedy of the
hostages in the hands of Hamas and they and will continue to do
so, as well as remembering the massacre of children, women and
men on 7 October," he continued.
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