United Nations – The United States embassy in Israel has declined a visa request by Israeli singer Amir Benayoun, who is scheduled to perform a song he wrote at the United Nations annual ceremony for International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
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Benayoun is scheduled to be joined on stage at the U.N. in New York by singers David D’Or and Miri Mesika, who already have received their visas, and who will help him perform the song in Hebrew, English, and Arabic in a performance scheduled for Holocaust Remembrance Day. The annual ceremony commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27.
The song, called “The Last Survivor,” was written by Moshe Klugheft and composed by Benayoun. A video of the song, to be screened at the U.N., features several Israeli Holocaust survivors.
The U.S. embassy told Ynet that Benayoun was not able to convince the US consul that he “has a strong connection to his country, which ensures his return to Israel after a short visit to the US.” Benayoun reportedly presented the embassy with his official letter of invitation from the U.N. He reported has several performances scheduled for February and March in Israel, another reason that he says he will be returning.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has been working to convince the US embassy to change its decision, according to Ynet.
Some have speculated whether the decision to prevent Benayoun from entering the United States is related to a 2015 song about a “corrupt, cruel” pet crow called Obama, for whom he wishes a swift death.
Left-wing Meretz Party lawmaker Esawi Frej in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for Benayoun to not be allowed to perform over what Frej called his racist views.
The sort of thing that happens every day. Hardly news at all.
So now that a jew is excluded . . . ?
The U.S. State Dept. has the right to deny visas to anyone, including Israelis. I believe that it has been too lax in the past, and permitted some Israelis to come here, who should never have been allowed in (i.e. organized criminals who prey on other Israelis, violent Israelis, those with other criminal backgrounds, schnorrers pretending to be meshulachs, who harass other Jews during davening, etc.) I remember years ago, an Israeli Professor told me that he was concerned that the USA was allowing Israelis into the USA, to settle here, who were criminals. Hopefully, the screening has been tightened, since that time.