Jerusalem museum’s Islamic art sale halted amid Israeli political pressure

LONDON: A controversial sale of items from the Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem has been temporarily postponed, according to the museum’s primary donor, amid pressure from Israeli government bodies and President Reuven Rivlin.

The museum, which said it was facing financial hardship even before the coronavirus pandemic forced it to temporarily close its doors, had hoped to raise around $9.8 million by selling over 200 items through Sotheby’s auction house in London. Most of those items were not on public display, said the museum’s director, Nadim Sheiban.