RAMALLAH, May 3, 2018 (WAFA) – Dozens of Palestinian cyclists are planning an event on Friday to challenge and question the morality of the international Giro d’Italia cycling tour in Israel, and specifically in and around occupied East Jerusalem, also planned to kick off on Friday and last for four days.

The Palestinian cyclists, part of Cycling Palestine group, called on “Palestinian cyclists to join a peaceful cycling protest to express our rejection of the blatant violations and disregard of the deteriorating situation in Palestine by cooperating with the occupying authority that is exhibiting the complete opposite of the values celebrated by European countries.”

The cyclists are expected to gather at Ramallah city center on Friday morning and then proceed to the Israeli army-controlled Qalandia checkpoint that cuts Ramallah from Jerusalem to the south.

They charged Giro d’Italia of “marginalizing the Palestinian people in general, because it is assuaging Israel by presenting Jerusalem as a unified city under Israel’s sovereignty.”

They added: “The Giro d’Italia European cycling tour will only serve to legitimize the annexation of Jerusalem and to distort the authenticity and character of the city. It will also turn sports from a noble and uniting tool into a whitewashing machine of Israel’s crimes and occupation.”

The international community does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem, and under international law and conventions, Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem is unlawful and constitutes a direct violation of its obligations as a belligerent occupier.

“By organizing such an event, Giro d’Italia is being complicit in Israel’s military occupation and its egregious violations of international law, conventions and consensus. We must not allow Israel to use sports taboos tourism and construct a democratic image at the expense of the Palestinian people and their rights,” they said.

The international Israel boycott movement, BDS, called on Giro d’Italia “to relocate the race from Israel to avoid covering up Israel’s violations of international law and Palestinian human rights.”

It said Israel is reportedly paying €10 million to host the Giro “as part of its propaganda efforts, mimicking those of the apartheid regime in South Africa, to use sports to hide, or sports-wash, its decades-long military occupation and apartheid system imposed on the Palestinian people.”

It accused Giro d‘Italia of “actively aiding the Israeli government in falsely portraying occupied East Jerusalem as part of Israel and its ‘unified capital,’ something the international community does not recognize.”

It added: “Just as it would have been unacceptable for the Giro d’Italia to start from apartheid South Africa in the 1980s, it is unacceptable to start the race in Israel as it will only serve as a stamp of approval for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.”

“A sport closely associated with freedom must not be used to cover up Israel’s denial of Palestinians’ rights, including the right to freedom of movement. Giro d’Italia has stated it has a Plan B. It is time to implement that plan.”

M.K.