Eurovision hopeful Mira Awad under fire

In the spirit of fostering better relations in the Middle East, a pop duo consisting of a Jew and an Arab had been lined up to compete together for Israel in this year's Eurovision Song Contest. However, the plan, which was hatched during the brief war between Israel and Hamas, is now said to be falling apart as the two singers face a torrent of abuse and condemnation from a rainbow of critics, ranging from right-wing Jews, to Palestinians and even Israeli peace campaigners.
 
Although no decision has been made yet, Israeli-Arab singer Mira Awad and Israeli-Jewish singer Achinoam Nini (above), who are known for bouncy pop music sometimes sung in Hebrew, are said to have been stung by the reaction to what must have seemed a whizz idea at the time.

Awad in particular has drawn the wrath of her fellow Israeli-Arabs, who make up one in five of Israel's population. Soon after her nomination, there were street protests from people urging her to stand down. She has also suffering a daily torrent of criticism in internet chat rooms.

Now a group of prominent artists have sent Awad an open letter asking her to reconsider. Juliano Mer Khamis, one of the signatories and an actor whose parentage is mixed Jewish and Arab, said: "We think Mira Awad has been used cynically by Israeli propaganda. They are going to use her as a fig leaf."

The Eurovision contest takes place in Moscow on May 19 when the girls were hoping to eclipse Israel's greatest Eurovision success - Dana International, a transsexual performer who won in 1998. ·