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Israel to drop support for Giro d'Italia race start if 'west Jerusalem' used Giro d'Italia bows to Israel's pressure over naming of start 'west Jerusalem'
(about 1 hour later)
Israeli ministers are threatening to withdraw their backing for the start of next year’s Giro d’Italia cycle race – one of the most important grand tours on the racing calendar – after organisers described the start point as “west Jerusalem”. The Giro d’Italia – one of Europe’s major cycling tours – appears to have backed down in a row with Israeli ministers over its labelling of the race’s 2018 departure as “west Jerusalem” – rather than “Jerusalem” – which had led to an Israeli threat to withdraw support.
The race departure, whose first three stages were scheduled to begin in Israel before returning to Italy for the remaining 18, had been announced to great fanfare this year as the first time a European Grand Tour would start in Israel. The race organisers had initially taken advice from the Italian foreign ministry to describe the race’s start point as “west Jerusalem” due to the competing Israeli and Palestinian claims over the city.
That has been put in jeopardy, however, amid Israeli outrage over a press conference on Wednesday by the race’s organisers, RSC Sport, which referred to the opening stage in “west Jerusalem”, reflecting international consensus which rejects Israel’s claim over the entire city. That saw Israeli ministers – led by the controversial culture and sport minister Miri Regev – to threaten to withdraw support claiming the race was in breach of its agreement.
Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since the six-day war in 1967 and later moved to annex it, although the international community has never recognised that move. At 9am on Thursday it still carried the disputed wording “west Jerusalem”. But by Thursday afternoon the organisers had revised the Giro’s official website to describe the start point for the first stage as “Jerusalem” as demanded by ministers.
The race had already attracted controversy, with Palestinian groups writing to the owners last week and asking them not to start in Israel. At the heart of the controversy is the fraught status of Jerusalem. Following the capture, and later annexation, of the eastern side of the city by Israeli troops during the six day war in 1967 Israel has claimed the city as its united capital.
The letter stated: “The Giro d’Italia deceptively portrays occupied East Jerusalem as part of Israel and as its unified capital. No country in the world recognises any part of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.” Most international opinion, however, has declined to recognise that assertion, while Palestinians claim the Israeli-occupied east of the city as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
It was into this long running conflict that the Giro’s organisers interposed themselves when they decided to stage the first departure outside Italy in the race’s century-long history.
Condemned by Palestinian campaigners for so called “sport washing” for opting to hold the first stage in Jerusalem, the race has now found itself under fire from Israel as it tries to negotiate the politics of half a century of occupation.
The race, whose first three stages were scheduled to begin in Israel before returning to Italy for the remaining 18, had been announced to great fanfare this year as the first time a European Grand Tour would start in Israel.
The threat to the race start was put jeopardy on Wednesday following Israeli outrage over a press conference by the race’s organisers, RSC Sport, which referred to the opening stage in “west Jerusalem”, reflecting international consensus which rejects Israel’s claim over the entire city.
The race’s director, Mauro Vegni, said he was aware of the political sensitivities and had drawn up the course with the guidance of the Italian foreign ministry.The race’s director, Mauro Vegni, said he was aware of the political sensitivities and had drawn up the course with the guidance of the Italian foreign ministry.
“The reality is that we want it to be a sports event and stay away from any political discussion,” he told the Associated Press.“The reality is that we want it to be a sports event and stay away from any political discussion,” he told the Associated Press.
Leading the charge against the decision to describe the start as “west Jerusalem” was the controversial Israeli culture and sports minister, Miri Regev, who said in a joint statement with the tourism minister, Yariv Levin: “In Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, there is no east or west. Leading the charge against the decision to change the description of the start was Regev, who said in a joint statement with the tourism minister, Yariv Levin: “In Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, there is no east or west.
“There is one unified Jerusalem,” continued the statement, which claimed use of the term was “a breach of the agreements with the Israeli government”. The change to the wording was later welcomed by Regev and Levin: “Following our response to the Giro management, we are pleased to see the prompt reaction of the organisers in removing the name ‘west Jerusalem’ from their official announcements.”
“If the wording does not change, the Israeli government will not be a partner in the event,” the ministers said.
The staging of the Giro – in which Chris Froome, the three-time British Tour de France champion, is expected to compete in his attempt to win the first Tour-Giro double in two decades – was seen as a huge boost for Israel, which has an enthusiastic road racing community.The staging of the Giro – in which Chris Froome, the three-time British Tour de France champion, is expected to compete in his attempt to win the first Tour-Giro double in two decades – was seen as a huge boost for Israel, which has an enthusiastic road racing community.
According to reports in the cycling media, Israel paid €10m (£9m) to bring the event out of Europe for the first time, with Froome – who confirmed his planned participation in a tweet – reportedly receiving an additional fee.According to reports in the cycling media, Israel paid €10m (£9m) to bring the event out of Europe for the first time, with Froome – who confirmed his planned participation in a tweet – reportedly receiving an additional fee.
The race, which is scheduled to open with a 10.1km individual time trial in Jerusalem on 4 May followed by two flat road stages, was criticised by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement in September, claiming the event represents a “sports-washing of Israel’s occupation and apartheid”.The race, which is scheduled to open with a 10.1km individual time trial in Jerusalem on 4 May followed by two flat road stages, was criticised by the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement in September, claiming the event represents a “sports-washing of Israel’s occupation and apartheid”.
“Starting the Giro in Israel to all intents rewards Israel for its decades-long human rights abuses against the Palestinian people, including athletes,” said Sharaf Qutaifan of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.“Starting the Giro in Israel to all intents rewards Israel for its decades-long human rights abuses against the Palestinian people, including athletes,” said Sharaf Qutaifan of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.