Sanremo Gaza 'genocide' outcry as RAI accused of 'censorship'

ROME - Debates have started after Italian singer Ghali said “stop the genocide” on stage at the Sanremo Music Festival during the live television broadcast on RAI1.
Ghali, after his performance on Saturday, called for an end to the fighting in Gaza on national television. Another performer, Dargen D’Amico, also called for a “ceasefire” twice. However, it was Ghali’s sentence “stop the genocide” which led to the Israeli ambassador, Alon Bar, criticising Ghali, Sanremo Music Festival and the broadcaster Rai.
Bar wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it was “shameful that the Festival’s stage was exploited to spread hatred in a superficial and irresponsible way” and that it was a “shame” Sanremo had not expressed “solidarity” with Israel.
The president of the Italian Jewish Community, Noemi Di Segni, also criticised Ghali’s statement, adding that his words were offensive to “the history of our country and the whole of Europe.”
However, Ghali refused to apologise for his words. He said that “the internet can prove everything that is happening right now did not start on 7th October.” In an interview on Sunday, he doubled down on his statement and drew attention to the fact that half of the population in Gaza are children.
The CEO of RAI, Roberto Sergio, issued a statement in “solidarity with the Israeli people”, saying that “every day” RAI remembers “the tragedy of the hostages at the hands of Hamas” and “the massacre of children, women and men on 7th October.”
Ghali’s call to “stop the genocide” has been cut from the broadcast available on RAI. D'Amico's post performance interview has also been shortened. This move has received backlash on social media, with some accusing RAI of "censorship."
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