BEIRUT: A hundred Palestinian cultural activists, and as many film professionals from around the world, have called for artists and filmmakers to participate in an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. “We… appeal to all artists and filmmakers… to cancel all exhibitions and other cultural events [due to] occur in Israel, to mobilize… and not allow the continuation of the Israeli offensive to breed complacency,” read an open letter dated August 4. “Like the boycott of South African art institutions during apartheid, cultural workers must speak out against the current Israeli war crimes and atrocities.”

The artists argue the boycott is justified on several levels.

First, they say, is the destruction of Palestinian ministries and educational institutions, a power plant, bridges, roads, homes, “hundreds of dunums of agricultural land,” and the detention, without charge, of 64 Palestinian deputies, Cabinet ministers and officials.

Then there is the land, sea, and air assault on the Lebanese population and infrastructure, which has seen almost a million Lebanese civilians displaced and left at least 900 Lebanese and 160 Palestinians dead – one-third of whom are children, according to the UN.

There is also the matter of Israel’s continued occupation of Gaza, the West Bank (East Jerusalem included), and Syria’s Golan Heights – all in violation of international law.

Finally, there is the ongoing imprisonment of 9,600 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails and detention centers without due process, among them 130 Palestinian women and 388 children – in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

“We call upon the International community to join us in the boycott of Israeli film festivals, Israeli public venues, and Israeli institutions supported by the government,” the letter continues, “and to end all cooperation with these cultural and artistic institutions that to date have refused to take a stand against the occupation, the root cause for this colonial conflict.

“We call upon you to take a stand to appeal to the Israeli people to give up their silence, to abandon their apathy, and to face up to their responsibility in the destruction and killing their elected government is wreaking…. Those Israeli artists, academics and intellectuals who continue to serve in the Israeli Army they are directly implicated in these crimes.

“To endorse or answer this call for a cultural boycott of Israel please send an email with your name, position and country to pal.filmmakers@gmail.com.”

To read the open letter in full, see http://www.pacbi.org/boycott_news_more.php?id=315_0_1_0_C