PLO ‘OUTRAGED AND INDIGNANT’ OVER EUROVISION BAN ON PALESTINIAN FLAG: The decision by European broadcasters to ban any display of Palestinian flags during the upcoming Eurovision song contest next month in Sweden provoked outrage in Ramallah. Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian Authority’s top peace negotiator who recently assumed the post of secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, slammed the decision. In a letter to the European Broadcasting Union, the body in charge of producing the show, Erekat said that the decision to bar the colors of the PLO was “discriminatory and a serious offense against our nation.” The venue hosting the contest this year published guidelines on spectator conduct which includes an official flag policy. While it is customary for fans in the arena to wave the flags of their favorite countries competing in the contest, those wishing to make provocative political statements by waving certain flags of political movements and extremist groups will not be welcome. (Jerusalem Post)