Wales minister blasts ‘disgraceful’ closure of Cardiff Jewish-Arab football exhibit
A government minister has branded the decision to shut a library for displaying an exhibition on Israeli-Palestinian football as ‘disgraceful’.
Labour MP Ian Austin asked Wales Minister Alun Cairns what discussions he had with those “responsible for the provision of library services, about the appalling decision to remove [Cardiff City Library’s] exhibition about Israeli and Palestinian people playing football together”.
Austin asked whether Cairns thought “an exhibition like that brings people together and furthers knowledge, which is what libraries are supposed to be about”.
Cairns acknowledged it was a “disgraceful decision and act by Cardiff City Council”. Cardiff City Council said at the time “there was potential for a large demonstration outside, which could disrupt access to the building and the services we offer.”
Cardiff City Council said at the time “there was potential for a large demonstration outside.. which could disrupt access to the building and the services we offer.”
Jewish community figures criticised the decision to shut the exhibition which had previously been displayed, with no incident, at a cultural centre in Derby, and at the entrance hall to The Guardian in London.
Eitan Na’eh, Charge d’affaires of the Israeli embassy in London, branded those who forced the exhibition’s closure “thugs”, whilst another Welsh MP Guto Bebb, described the decision as “despicable”. He told Jewish News: “This shames our capital city. Those who target Israel simply cannot abide the fact that most Palestinians and Israelis want to live in peace. This attack on freedom of expression is censoring the truth in order to allow the narrow hate-filled agenda of the small number of anti Israel to remain unchallenged.”
A statement from Stop the War Coalition, issued prior to the exhibition being closed, said: “Israel uses sport as a way to present itself as a ‘normal’ European state, to whitewash its racism against the Palestinians, just as South Africa did under apartheid.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
