A day after President Reuven Rivlin canceled a performance by singer Amir Benayoun at a ceremony marking the Day of the Exodus and Expulsion of Jews from Arab countries and Iran, which was to be held at the President's residence this coming Sunday, because of the song "Ahmed Loves Israel" - a News2 poll examined what the public thinks about it.
The survey, conducted by the Midgam Institute and i-Panel, supervised by Dr. Mina Tzemach and Manu Geva, shows that 48% of the public agree with Rivlin's decision to cancel the appearance, while 39% oppose it.
The reviewers asked whether the song is indeed racist. 42% believe that the song is appropriate and legitimate, while 38% think that it is a racist and inappropriate song.
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Last night, the CEO of the President's Residence, Harel Tovi, sent a letter to the organizers of the ceremony in which he wrote: "In light of the publication of Amir Benayoun's last poem yesterday, I would like to inform you that we will not be able to allow his appearance at the President's Residence.
The CEO added: "Amir Benayoun is a respected and extraordinary artist in his talent and contribution to Israeli music. In addition, his statements at this tense and conflicted time, even if they were made out of a storm of emotions and great pain, do not help, to put it mildly, to calm the spirits, and are not consistent with the responsibility required of the President's Office and any institution that influences the public mood - to work to alleviate tensions and establish partnership between the parts of Israeli society.".
Minister of Veterans Affairs, Uri Orbach, whose office initiated the ceremony and invited Benayoun to perform in it, said in response to the President's Office's announcement: "The cancellation of singer Amir Benayoun's performance at the President's Office at the ceremony marking the Day of the Expulsion and Emigration of Arab Jews was done in contradiction to our position. I respect and love President Rivlin (and do not like Amir Benayoun's song), but I cannot give my hand to such a serious violation of freedom of expression and creativity.".
""Boycotting artists based on their opinions is wrong, so unfortunately I will not be able to attend the ceremony. If Benayoun doesn't sing, I won't speak.".
At the beginning of the week, Benayoun uploaded a new song to his Facebook page, entitled: 'Ahmed Loves Israel.'.
In the poem, Benayoun describes the character of an Arab student who pretends to be a joker, when his real intention is to murder Jews. Benayoun calls him an "ungrateful scum.".
