12 January, 2012

Dear Shakespeare’s Globe,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and inner conflicts with us.[1] We are grateful that you have deliberated it sincerely and have raised a few questions. Let’s focus on those that you find tough:

Dear James Blake,
 
We are a group of Israeli citizens who support the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. We oppose our government's policies of ethnic cleansing, occupation and apartheid, we strongly believe that international pressure is essential in bringing these crimes to an end and creating an equal and just society in this region. We are, therefore, asking you to cancel your planned show in Tel-Aviv on January the 27th.
 

 
To
The directors
World Shakespeare Festival 2012
c/o Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
21 New Globe Walk
Bankside
London
SE1 9DT
UK
info@shakespearesglobe.com
 
 
 
Dear Sir/Madam
 
Israel's Habima Theatre is due to present, in your forthcoming festival, "The Merchant of Venice". As noted on your website, this play includes the role of "Shylock, the most famous and controversial Jewish character in the theatre canon" – which naturally, presents particularly acute problems and dilemmas to an Israeli theatre.  
 

PDF version available here.

Dear Younger Brother,
 
We are a group of Israeli citizens who support the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. We oppose the Israeli criminal policies of colonialism, occupation and apartheid, and strongly believe that international pressure is essential in bringing these crimes to an end and creating an equal and just society in this region.
 

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TRIES TO LEGITIMIZE CONFERENCE HELD IN ISRAEL
On its second day, WHO conference was relocated to Tel-Aviv in an attempt to legitimize it
 
Press Release
 

Press Release: For Immediate Release

Activists Take Direct Action Against World Health Organization Conference in

Jerusalem
28th November 2011
Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS call from within
(Boycott from Within)
http://boycottisrael.info

This morning a group of Palestinians and Israeli activists held a protest action in front of the Inbal hotel where the WHO (World Health Organization) held their first 'Health 2020 – The New European Policy for Health' conference [1 ].

16/11/11
Press release
Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS call from within(Boycott from Within)
http://boycottisrael.info/ 

Tonight (16/11) in Tel Aviv, Israeli and international BDS supporters spent an hour standing outside the press conference held by the "Creative Coalition" Hollywood actors. The event, which was co-ordinated by AIPAC, took place at the Dan Intercontinental hotel. The group held banners, which read "No Culture in Whitewashing Apartheid" and "Shame On You, Hollywood", in order to remind the actors that their visit and press-conference are part of the Hasbara (Israel advocacy) mission. They also reminded them of the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli policies of colonialization, occupation and apartheid, which they were breeching.
 

The below letter was published on November 17, 2011 in response to media reports that suggest Lady Gaga went on and scheduled a performance in Israel on summer 2012

May 4, 2011

Dear Lady Gaga,

We are a group of about 250 Israeli citizens who support the human rights-based Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) ^[1]. We learned through the media that Israeli producers try to lure you into performing this summer in Israel, thus undermining a growing international movement to end Israel's impunity and promote a just solution that respects human rights and international law in Palestine\Israel. We therefore would like to urge you not to perform in Israel at this time.

About a year ago Palestinian demonstrators in Hebron (Al-Khalil) danced to your song ^[2], “Poker Face”, to counter Israeli propaganda, video-clipped in their own forcefully closed and evacuated Shuhada street. In this area Israel dispossessed tens of thousands of people from their homes to allow for a Jews-only settlement of a few hundreds. The dance was held in front of the gates of that same closed street. The song's choice was a cry for the world to stop buying into Israel's branding of itself as “advanced” and “enlightened”, a branding which is maintained also by international performances in Israel. Just a few weeks after that dance, the Israeli army locked down adjacent shops ^[3], collectively punishing Palestinian shopkeepers in the Old City. It also banned the peaceful demonstrations from the area. The demonstrations are led by a local youth group ^[4] which is committed to complete non-violence.

by Adam Horowitz
source: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/11/aipac-hollywood-junket-to-israel-meets-protest.html

An appeal from Israeli citizens to Greek/Turkish musicians scheduled to perform at the Jerusalem OudFestival, November 2011

Dear Greek/Turkish musicians,

We are a group of Israelicitizens who support the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and sanctions(BDS) on Israel until it complies with international law and human-rightsvalues. [1] We are sure that you are talented musicians, and we would love theopportunity to attend your show, but at this time we would like to ask you toreconsider your planned performances in Israel!