Saudi TV presenter risks ire of Arab street for interview with Israeli singer

Ali Al-Olyani, presenter of the Ya Hala program on Rotana, intends to interview a popular Israeli singer called Raheela who sings in Arabic. “I aim to present another program featuring Raheela, a US citizen of Israeli origin,” Al-Olyani told Arab News over the telephone on Saturday.
“This time I will focus on her views about the plight of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. I think many viewers in the Kingdom and other Arab countries criticized the last program because of her ethnic origin rather than on demerits as an Arab singer," he said.
Commenting on the charges against him, Al-Olyani said, " I am condemned as a betrayer of the Arabs for hosting a singer who sings Arabic songs and is a better artist than many Arab singers. I wonder why I’ve been singled out when there are several other Arab channels that invite Israeli officials and personalities to discussions.”
Reacting to a viewer’s comment that he should have looked into Raheela’s origins before interviewing her, Al-Olyani said he has no need to look into the ethnic origins of artists who appear on his programs. “Art has no race or geographical boundaries, and when I talked to Raheela I didn’t know her ethnic origin and nor was it important for me know,” he said.
“I just wanted to know her real name, which was Rachel. She said she chose the name Raheela as it is a common name in the Arab world, resembles Bedouin names and matches the cover of her first album,” he added.
He also called on his critics to listen to what the singer said in an interview with an Israeli channel when she was asked how she felt performing for an Arab audience after her Israeli origins became public.  “I love the Arab public in the Gulf where many people love to listen to my voice,” she said.
“I have confidence in them, besides many of my troupes are Arabs," she said.
Raheela's Album “Ya Hala” is sung in the Gulf dialect. She is popular for singings the songs of leading Gulf singers, including Muhammad Abdu and Khaled Abdul Rahman.