(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, JANUARY 29 - The Arab Writers' Union (AWU) sent a letter of protest to the union of Italian writers over selecting Israel as a guest of honor in the Turin International Book Fair, to run from May 8-12, President of the union Mohamed Salmawy said as reported by Mena news agency. Egypt was due to take the title this year, but it was postponed to next year. Italy was last year's guest of honor in Cairo International Book Fair. The Turin fair administration apparently was not able to find an alternative but Israel, Salmawy said, noting that the country selected as a guest of honor should be notified one year in advance. The union has asked the Italian body to clarify its position towards the Israeli participation in light of the cooperation agreement binding the two bodies, he added. Salmawy said the AWU is waiting for the Italian union's response to base it position accordingly. Salmawy, a writer and journalist, played down the significance of Turin book fair saying the 'small fair' was not comparable to the major book fairs around the world; Frankfurt, Paris, New York, Montreal, and Cairo. Selecting Israel as a guest of honor to the Italian fair will have a limited impact, he said. Yet, such unprecedented selection could lead to similar invitations by more high-profile cultural events. Given the strict siege imposed by Israel on Gaza Strip, the selection of Israel as the fair's guest of honor, marks Israel's 60th birthday, is a provocation to Arabs who will not stand hand-folded, described Salmawy.(ANSAmed).