British comedian Eddie Izzard banned from Palestine Marathon

Eddie Izzard has been banned from running in the Palestine Marathon on Friday, after he refused to cancel a gig in Tel Aviv.

1 min read

The New Arab & agencies

30 Mar, 2017

Izzard is due to perform in the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv on Thursday [Getty]

British comedian Eddie Izzard on Thursday was banned from running in the Palestine Marathon, after he refused to cancel a show in Israel.

Izzard, known for his rambling monologues and cross-dressing, is due to perform in the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv on Thursday night.

Palestine Marathon organisers said the comedian, who ran 27 marathons in 27 days for charity in 2016, was not welcome unless he cancelled the gig.

"British comedian Eddie Izzard cannot run for freedom this Friday if he entertains in Tel Aviv on Thursday," the race's official Twitter page said.

"We refuse to be used as a fig leaf to cover up Izzard's whitewashing of Israel's occupation and apartheid."

The comedian tweeted earlier on Thursday to say he was looking forward to the marathon after the gig.

Around 5,500 people are due to run the marathon on Friday, organisers said.

Its aim is to highlight Israel's occupation of the West Bank, with the Jewish state's much-loathed wall cutting through the territory.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement calls for a cultural boycott of Israel until it ends its occupation of the Palestinian territories.