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dpa
Gaza City
Palestinian musicians staged a protest concert in a ruined part of Gaza City on Tuesday, as an alternative to the glittery Eurovision Song Contest that is under way in Tel Aviv.
The Palestinian event took place on the rubble of a building that was destroyed by Israeli warplanes during the latest escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza.
“The Eurovision festival Israel hosts is just a pretext to cover up its brutal violations against the Palestinians,” said one of the event organizers, Kamel Musallam. Israel wants to “deceive the world and show them that it’s a peaceful state,” he charged, addressing an audience of some 150 people.
Several Palestinian bands participated in the event.
The mother of Razan al-Najjar, a 21-year-old paramedic shot dead by Israeli troops on June 1, was invited to deliver the keynote address.
Palestinian militants fired some 700 rockets at Israel more than a week ago, killing four civilians. Israeli counterattacks killed 25 Palestinians, 10 of them civilians and the rest militants. Egypt and the United Nations brokered a ceasefire between the two sides, and the exchange of fire came to a halt Monday last week.
Tel Aviv is hosting Eurovision this year after Israeli singer Netta Barzilai won the contest last year in Lisbon.
There were several calls to boycott the competition over the Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, but none of the delegations cancelled their participation. The first semifinal is set to be held on Tuesday night, the second on Thursday, and the final event will be staged Saturday.
Gaza City
Palestinian musicians staged a protest concert in a ruined part of Gaza City on Tuesday, as an alternative to the glittery Eurovision Song Contest that is under way in Tel Aviv.
The Palestinian event took place on the rubble of a building that was destroyed by Israeli warplanes during the latest escalation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza.
“The Eurovision festival Israel hosts is just a pretext to cover up its brutal violations against the Palestinians,” said one of the event organizers, Kamel Musallam. Israel wants to “deceive the world and show them that it’s a peaceful state,” he charged, addressing an audience of some 150 people.
Several Palestinian bands participated in the event.
The mother of Razan al-Najjar, a 21-year-old paramedic shot dead by Israeli troops on June 1, was invited to deliver the keynote address.
Palestinian militants fired some 700 rockets at Israel more than a week ago, killing four civilians. Israeli counterattacks killed 25 Palestinians, 10 of them civilians and the rest militants. Egypt and the United Nations brokered a ceasefire between the two sides, and the exchange of fire came to a halt Monday last week.
Tel Aviv is hosting Eurovision this year after Israeli singer Netta Barzilai won the contest last year in Lisbon.
There were several calls to boycott the competition over the Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, but none of the delegations cancelled their participation. The first semifinal is set to be held on Tuesday night, the second on Thursday, and the final event will be staged Saturday.
