Amman - The Jordan Artists Association (JAA) Thursday dropped its reservations over the Jordan Festival, giving the green light to Arab artists who had intended to boycott the event to change their mind. "After all ambiguities regarding the organizing firm were removed by His Majesty the King, we invite our Arab colleagues to go ahead with their plans to perform concerts," JAA President Shaher al-Hadid said in a statement.
Al-Hadid last week sent a circular to the Arab artists unions in five Arab countries requesting they ban their members from participating in the July 8 - August 9 festival, citing "suspicion of normalizing ties with Israel".
At least six Jordanian and Arab artists said they planned to boycott the event which also hosts big names in the entertainment industry, including opera singers such as Placido Domingo, Monica Yunus and Julia Migenes.
The boycott announcements were made amid confusion regarding the involvement of a French company, Publicis Groupe, in organizing the Jordanian national festivity after it handled Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations in May.
Aides to Lebanese pop stars said Wednesday the decision by their bosses to boycott the Jordan Festival was rooted in an internal Jordanian dispute that should be resolved first with the JAA.
The state-run Jordanian Tourist Board has categorically rejected that Publicis Groupe was involved in the organization of the festival, but the denial apparently failed to convince the JAA to change its stand.
The reversal of the JAA's attitude came after remarks by King Abdullah II who lashed out at the event's "ignorant sceptics" and said they were following unfounded rumours".
