Italian Singer Ghali Expresses Shock at Israel’s Continued Policy of War and Terrorism
Italian singer of Tunisian descent, Ghali Amdouni, expressed his shock at the response of the Israeli ambassador in Rome, Alon Bar, to his demand to stop the genocide in Gaza during his performance at the San Remo Italian Song Festival.
In an interview with the local channel “Rai,” Ghali stated, “I have always spoken about these issues since I was a child, not just since October 7, 2023… The truth is that the ambassador’s speech is regrettable; the policy of terrorism persists, and people fear to say stop the war, stop the genocide. We are living in a moment where people feel they are losing something if they say we want peace.”
Ghali is not alone in his sentiments. The San Remo Music Festival, the largest entertainment event in Italy, faced criticism from the Israeli ambassador after the rapper called for an end to the genocide in Gaza during his appearance on stage. Following Ghali’s call, several other singers, such as Eros Ramazzotti, expressed anti-Israel war sentiments, stating, “No more bloodshed, no more wars,” while rapper Dargen D’Amico highlighted the suffering of children under bombs, without food or water, emphasizing the shared responsibility to speak out.
The Israeli ambassador, Alon Bar, accused Palestinian resistance elements of atrocities during the “Flood of Al-Aqsa” attack on October 7, 2023, on social media platforms, alleging brutal acts against children and women. He expressed disappointment that the San Remo Festival did not show solidarity with the victims, emphasizing the importance of using the platform for such demands.
Naomi Di Segni, the head of the Union of Jewish Communities in Italy, echoed the ambassador’s sentiments, expressing disappointment that the festival did not raise awareness of the hostages’ plight, stating their right to enjoy music and return home.
The San Remo Festival is a frequent target of criticism from far-right extremist parties in Italy. Lucio Malan, a senator from the “Brothers of Italy” party, criticized using the music festival as a platform to discuss international crises, particularly in a one-sided manner.
Ghali, born in 1993 to Tunisian parents in Milan, is a Tunisian-Italian rapper and producer who gained fame under the alias “Phobia.” He is considered a pioneer of Italian rap music, with two albums reaching the top ten in Italy’s album sales charts. Since 2020, his works have sold over 1.6 million copies in Italy, collaborating with renowned Italian and international artists.
In October 2016, Ghali released the highly successful single “Nina Nana” exclusively on Spotify, becoming the first song to reach the top spot in live streaming and selling over 200,000 copies. The song’s music video surpassed 100 million views on YouTube.
Ghali is highly respected in the Italian media, with Roberto Saviano praising him as a “blessing” in an article for “La Repubblica,” and Vani Santoni commending his poetic skills in “Il Corriere della Sera.” In 2017, his album collection under the name “Album” won the Lunette Rap award for literary and musical value.
The San Remo Festival, Italy’s official song festival, selects Italy’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest. Italian singer Angelina Mango won the seventy-fourth edition of the San Remo Festival with the song “La Noye,” granting her the right to represent Italy in Eurovision.
