Jewish group calls for Iraqi musician to be stripped of UN award over Israel comments

Simon Wiesenthal Center calls for the UN to reconsider naming an Iraqi musician its “Artist for Peace,” in light of “belligerent expressions” toward Israel.

In February, Iraqi Oud player Naseer Shammah attended an event in Paris, where he shook hands with Israeli Ambassador Carmel Shama Hacohen.

After reports of the meeting came out, Shammah took to Facebook to say he had been unaware of Hacohen’s identity and that the Israeli ambassador had taken advantage of his ignorance.

The oud-playing star also denied reports that he was planning to perform in Israel.

“UNESCO, which has given me the honor of representing the relationship between art and peace, does not recognize the occupation, as evidenced by the recent resolution on Jerusalem,” Shammah wrote on Facebook, referring to a resolution that did not recognize the Temple Mount as a Jewish holy site.

In light of the Facebook post, the Simon Wiesenthal Center called for UNESCO to “strip this hypocritical warmonger of his undeserved ‘Artist For Peace’ Award.”