Because of a supposedly political affront, Israel is threatening to cancel the funding for the first three stages of the Giro d’ Italia for cycling professionals in 2018. In a communication by Israeli sports minister Miri Regev and tourism minister Yariv Levin, the government threatened to cut the funds if the organisers did not use the term “West Jerusalem” as the starting point for the opening stage on 4 January. I’d like to cancel it.
Jerusalem is Israel’s capital:”There is no West and there is no East”, the Italian media said in the communication. If the name is not corrected, the Israeli government will not support the event “, the letter said.
The western part of Jerusalem has belonged to Israel since 1948 and is mainly inhabited by Jews. The eastern part of the country, which is mainly populated by Christians and Muslims, is also under Israel’s control, although the Palestinians claim to be the capital of a future state of their own.
The opening of the second most important cycling race in the world after the Tour de France would be the biggest sporting event in Israel’s history. A 9.7 km long individual time trial is planned in the old town of Jerusalem as well as two further stages from Haifa to Tel Aviv (167 km) and from Be’ er Scheva to Eilat (229 km). The tour ends on 27. May in Rome.