Dato’ Amarjit responds but falls short of acting.

Dear Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill, Thank you for responding to our numerous attempts at communicating with you. We take note of your (and UCI’s claim) that you will be "extremely attentive" in ensuring the Giro D'Italia race is not used for political means. But we would like to bring to your attention that Israel is doing just that. It is using the Giro D’Italia to tell the world that `united’ Jerusalem is their capital city. This is evident from the statement by Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs that bringing the race to Israel was “a huge achievement in and of itself that strengthens Israel’s legitimacy,” as well as that of the Sports and Tourism ministers in which they state "there is no east or west and that there is one unified Jerusalem”. Israel even bullied the organizers into dropping the term ‘West Jerusalem’ by threatening to withdraw their support for the race. You may be aware that former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno Ocampo has said that the investigation being carried out by the ICC concerning the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, will most likely result in condemnation of Israeli officials since the establishment of settlements is considered a continuing war crime. He added that the settlements constitute a clear legal violation of the Rome Statute and the rules of international law, which prohibit an occupying power from transferring its civilian population to an occupied territory. Is it any wonder then that the race start in Israel has been described by journalists and sportswriters as a “masterstroke of ‘soft diplomacy,’” a “public relations coup” and “valuable image-polishing”? This in exchange for millions of euros in Israeli official sponsorship. UCI is either being intentionally ignorant of the political implications of the race or is hypocritical in its attitude by continuing to sanction the race despite it being used by Israel as a political means to achieve its political ends of whitewashing its crimes against the Palestinians. We at BDS Malaysia, as part of the global BDS movement, that has just been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize, urge you once again to act in accordance with your nation's stance, as bravely and consistently displayed for the world to see, and to voice your disagreement with the decision to hold the race in Israel for the sake of justice in Palestine. Thank you. Yours sincerely, Professor Mohd Nazari Ismail, PhD. Chairman BDS Malaysia.