Marc Almond, don’t choose the side of the oppressor

Marc Almond has cancelled performing in Israel.

Dear Marc Almond,

We are a group of Israeli citizens supporting the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS):

Together with our Palestinian partners, we are calling on international artists to respect the call, and refrain from performing in Israel until the Palestinians’ most basic human rights are respected:
1. Ending [Israel’s] occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the apartheid wall built on Palestinian land;
2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality;
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.

Right now In Israel, as during every Jewish holiday, a closure is imposed all over the West Bank. The Gaza strip is under constant siege.

This week, we are marking the 2nd anniversary of Bassam Abu Rahma's killing by the Israeli army,  In the village of Bil'in, during a non-Violent demonstration:

The Shooting of Bassem Abu Rahmah (link)

 

We are asking you to take a few minutes, watch the clip about his life and the struggle and Bil'in, and view our BDS call in light of this info.

Whether you choose to make a political statement, or not, preforming in Israel makes a statement of “Business as usual”, and your performance will be used to whitewash our government's  vicious policies. Moreover, Palestinian fans of yours, living in the occupied territories under Israeli military occupation, will not be allowed to come to Tel Aviv and see your performance. The choices that international artists like you make will have an impact on millions of lives. As an ardent BDS supporter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, once said about his own battle with apartheid:

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

Please don’t choose the side of the oppressor. Please choose justice.

Sincerely on behalf of BfW (http://boycottisrael.info/)

 

Assaf Kintzer

David Nir

Dorothy Naor

Edo Medicks

Herzl Schubert

Jonathan Pollak

Liad Kantorowicz

Naomi Lyth

Neta Gola

Ofer Neiman

Oshra Bar

Rachel Giora

Renen Raz

Shir Hever

Tal Shapira

Yael Kahn

 

"IDF imposes general closure on West Bank throughout Passover": http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4058239,00.html