(The JC) Cardiff Central Library has scrapped an exhibition of photos celebrating Jewish-Arab co-existence through football in Israel.
The library confirmed that the exhibition “Low football – Jewish-Arab football: diversity and co-existence through lower-league football,” which opened on Wednesday, has been removed.
The display, sponsored by the Israeli embassy, was set up to coincide with Israel’s European Championship qualifying match against Wales in Cardiff on Sunday, and was due to remain in place for a week.
It is understood that the library may have come under pressure from anti-Israel groups.
A spokesperson for the Labour-run City of Cardiff Council said: “Following a complaint it was decided to review the material and the exhibit was withdrawn. The Council is aware there are protests planned around the Wales Israel game at the weekend and this was taken into consideration.
“Our libraries are buildings which promote free speech, but it was felt that running this exhibition could lead visitors to suppose that the Council was displaying bias. This is of course not the case.”
A spokesman for the embassy said the move was “outrageous. This is an exhibition promoting co-existence through football. Jews and Arabs playing football together.
“I don’t think the library is the main issue. The main issue is the capitulation to elements who have only an agenda of hatred.”
Read the full article at The Jewish Chronicle
