Brescia mayor revokes Zaki invite to peace festival

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 13 - Brescia Mayor Laura Castelletti has revoked the invitation to recently freed Egyptian Bologna University graduate and human rights activist Patrick Zaki to open a local festival in November after he called Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu a serial killer for his allegedly genocidal policies towards the Palestinians while condemning Hamas's attack on Israel, Il Giornale di Brescia reported Friday. Castelletti reportedly took the decision on grounds Zaki, who was recently freed from detention in Egypt on subversion charges, is "divisive".
    "His words on Israel do not represent the message that the city wants to convey," said the mayor, who had been criticised by the centre-right for not wanting to illuminate the seat of the municipal administration with the colours of Israel.
    Earlier this week Zaki saw his engagements cancelled on the opening broadcast of a leading talkshow on Sunday and at the Arsenale della pace in Turin. (ANSA).