Here is information on the South African artists cultural boycott of Israel.
Ed Corrigan
http://www.southafricanartistsagainstapartheid.com/
"As South African Artists and Cultural Workers who have lived under, survived, and in many cases resisted apartheid, we acknowledge the value of international solidarity in our own struggle."
In October 2010, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu called on the Cape Town Opera to cancel its scheduled tour of Israel.
A nationwide campaign was initiated and on 1 November 2010 the South African cultural boycott of Israel was launched with the 'South African Artists Against Apartheid Declaration'.
An excerpt from the South African Artists Against Apartheid Declaration reads:
As South African Artists and Cultural Workers who have lived under, survived, and in many cases resisted apartheid, we acknowledge the value of international solidarity in our own struggle. It is in this context that we respond to the call by Palestinians, and their Israeli allies, for such solidarity.
As artists of conscience we say no to apartheid - anywhere. We respond to the call for international solidarity and undertake not to avail any invitation to perform or exhibit in Israel. Nor will we accept funding from institutions linked to the government of Israel. This is our position until such time as Israel, in the least, complies with international law and universal principles of human rights. Until then, we too unite with international colleagues under the banner of "Artists Against Apartheid." View the full Declaration here.
http://www.southafricanartistsagainstapartheid.com/2010/11/attachment-cultural-boycott-of-israel.html
ULTURAL BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL RECORD SHEET
The following are just a few notable developments in the cultural boycott of Israel over recent months*:
• Musicians including Carlos Santana, Gil Scott-Heron and Elvis Costello have cancelled their concerts in Israel.
- The legendary Costello called his decision to cancel his two summer performances in Israel "a matter of instinct and conscience." [1]
• Several groups have also withdrawn their performances in Israel, including: The Pixies, Massive Attack, Faithless, Gorillaz Sound System and the Klaxxons.
- Front man of Faithless, Maxi Jazz, compassionately wrote to his fans: "While human beings are being wilfully denied not just their rights but their needs for their children and grandparents and themselves, I feel deeply that I should not be sending even tacit signals that this is either 'normal' or 'ok'. It's neither and I cannot support it." [2]
- Del Naja of Massive Attack has explained his active support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement: "I think musicians have a major role to play […] The boycott is not an action of aggression towards the Israeli people…it's towards the government and its policies. Everyone needs to be reminded of this because it's very easy to be accused of being anti-Semitic, and that's not what this is about." [3]
• Hollywood actors Meg Ryan and Dustin Hoffman cancelled plans to attend the Jerusalem Film Festival following Israel's raid on the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla that left nine dead. [4]
• In late 2009, Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover and director John Greyson, together with over 1000 cultural workers, supported the Toronto Declaration: "No celebration of occupation!" The declaration came in support of Greyson's withdrawal from a film festival that had a "spotlight on Tel-Aviv." [5]
• British writer and director, Mike Leigh, refused to teach at the Israeli Sam Spiegel Film & Television School, noting the insanity of "the ongoing criminal blockade of Gaza, not to mention the endless shooting of innocent people." [6]
• Significantly, prominent Israeli directors, performers and writers have also taken a boycott position.
- In a recent refusal to perform in one of Israel's illegal settlements (the settlement of Ariel) they stated: "Ariel is in occupied territory and no Israeli artist should have to take part in a production in occupied territory, not in Ariel nor in any other settlement when it is against international law." [7]
- The Israeli actors' boycott was backed by authors Amos Oz, David Grossman, A.B. Yehoshua and Sami Michael, as well as sculptor and architect Dani Caravan. [8]
• In what was described as a watershed moment in BDS history, over 150 Irish creative and performing artists initiated the first nationwide cultural boycott pledge against Israel. [9]
• In February 2010, 500 artists in Montreal, including filmmakers, musicians, dancers, poets, authors and painters, also joined the international boycott through a joint public statement. [10]
• In September 2010, More than 100 Norwegian artists and academics publicly lent their support to the call for boycotting Israel. [11]
• In October 2010, Nobel-Prize winner, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, backed the public call on a South African group (the Cape Town Opera) to cancel their scheduled performance in Israel. He passionately appealed:
"Just as we said during apartheid that it was inappropriate for international artists to perform in South Africa in a society founded on discriminatory laws and racial exclusivity, so it would be wrong for Cape Town Opera to perform in Israel. The Tel Aviv Opera House is state sponsored. By luring international artists to perform there, it advances Israel's fallacious claim to being a "civilized democracy". [12]
• Subsequent to Tutu's call, on 1 November 2010 the South African cultural boycott of Israel declaration, 'South African Artists Against Apartheid', was launched.
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* This record sheet is regularly updated on this website.
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