Arab singers to boycott Jordan festival over Israel

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

AMMAN (AFP) — Arab singers will boycott a music festival in Jordan next month over claims it is being set up by the same company which organised Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations in May, a union leader said on Monday.

The month-long Jordan Festival, due to open on July 8, will feature local and international artists including tenor Placido Domingo and jazz vocalist Diana Krall.

But several Arab singers will boycott it after calls by Jordan's Islamist-dominated 14 professional trade unions, said Shaher Hadid, president of the Jordan Artists Association.

Jordan's tourism board, however, denies that the company involved in the Israeli festivities is involved in the festival.

"Publicis Groupe has nothing to do with Jordan Festival. Another French...