Muslim states decide to boycott Paris book fair

The Islamic states are boycotting the Paris book fair, which kicks off on March 14, in protest against the participation of the usurper Zionist regime.The Islamic states are boycotting the Paris book fair, which kicks off on March 14, in protest against the participation of the usurper Zionist regime.

Saudi Arabia has become the latest to withdraw, following Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria .

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has also urged its 50 members to pull out from the fair.

ISESCO said the Zionist regime had committed horrendous crimes against humanity in Palestine .

Organizers have argued that many of the Zionist writers support the idea of Palestinian statehood, but ISESCO called for a boycott.

It said that the crimes against humanity that the Zionist regime is perpetrating in the Palestinian territories constitute, in themselves, a strong condemnation of the Tel Aviv regime, making it unworthy of being invited to such a cultural event.

Lebanon announced it would stay away from the Paris fair.

National publishing houses from Morocco , Tunisia and Algeria have cancelled their stands at the fair.

And if this was not enough, a similar row is brewing over the planned  Turin book fair in May in Italy .

British-Pakistani writer Tariq Ali has said he will boycott the event because there has been no attempt to invite an equal number of Palestinian writers.

Prominent Swiss Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan has supported the boycott, saying it is not decent to invite the Zionist regime when it shows no respect at all for the oppressed Palestinian people.

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