MK Miri Regev (Likud) said on Tuesday that she was “disappointed” by President Reuven Rivlin’s decision to cancel a performance by singer Amir Benayoun at a state event next week, over a new song by Benayoun that is critical of Arab extremists in Israel.
"Without taking a position on Amir Benayoun’s song, it seems to me that the decision of President Rivlin, whom I appreciate and cherish, to prevent a singer from singing songs that are disputed, is dissatisfactory and disappointing," said Regev.
Regev reminded that artists have personal opinions, saying, "At this rate, some of the artists in Israel who, for example, did not serve in the IDF and/or express positions against the IDF, will not be allowed to appear at official events. It is worth mentioning several artists who protested the IDF’s action during Operation Protective Edge."
Benayoun's song, entitled "Ahmed Loves Israel", responds to the recent wave of terrorism in which Arab terrorists in several high profile attacks have used their position of employment at workplaces adjacent to the attack to murder Jews.
It also comes on the heels of a survey which found a full 29% of Arab citizens of Israel hold the state to "blame" for the recent terrorism, indicating a tacit support for terrorism among one out of three Israeli Arabs.
Benayoun’s Facebook page responded to Rivlin’s cancellation of the performance on Tuesday, saying, "Amir wrote a protest song from great pain over the recent wave of terror."
"It's nature is of course up for discussion, but we emphasize: the song speaks about the violence targeting citizens of Israel and pains over it, it (the song) has no intention to incite, and violence is not our path or the path of Judaism, even if there are those who try to claim it is. Amir will continue to sing his love for the land of Israel and the people of Israel in the free and democratic state of Israel," continued the message.