[NYTr] British Artists Rallied to boycott Israel
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The Guardian - Dec 15, 2006
http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,1972654,00.html
John Berger rallies artists for cultural boycott of Israel
By Charlotte Higgins, arts correspondent
The celebrated novelist, critic and artist John Berger today calls on
British writers and artists to undertake a "cultural boycott" of Israel. In
a letter to the Guardian, co-signed by, among others, the artist Cornelia
Parker, the musician Brian Eno, and writers Arundhati Roy and Ahdaf Soueif,
Berger calls for support for "our Palestinian and Israeli colleagues". He
suggests boycott tactics; in his case it meant declining to be published by
a large mainstream Israeli publisher, he says.
Yesterday he said of the boycott: "It could be a factor in Israeli policy
changing. Of course its effects will not be gigantic but it is a way of not
staying silent. It is a very personal call ... a way of encouraging the very
courageous Israelis who oppose their government and an encouragement to
Palestinians to somehow go on surviving." He made a clear distinction
between individuals and state-sponsored events or institutions. "It is not a
question of boycotting Israeli artists," he said.
The film-maker Ken Loach, who backs the boycott, said he would not take part
in state-sponsored Israeli film festivals.
However, Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, said: "There are
countless Israelis who vehemently oppose their government ... many are
artists and academics, and none of them are prevented from expressing their
opposition ... It seems profoundly counter-productive to cease contact with
precisely that section of Israeli society most likely to provoke a change in
direction within Israel."
Richard Eyre, the theatre director, said: "I would have said during
apartheid in South Africa sanctions ... were effective, but so many people
since then have said they were counterproductive. It's not cut and dried.
Anything that boycotts Israel means we are in danger of cutting off access
to [those] we should be speaking to."
The playwright Mark Ravenhill said it was good to keep a dialogue open with
those challenging the government. "A cultural boycott runs the risk of
stopping that dialogue and support." Michael Berkeley, the composer, said:
"Sometimes it is only through the arts that a link remains open."
Signatories:
John Berger, novelist, painter, art critic and philosopher
Brian Eno, electronic musician, music theorist and record producer
Sophie Fiennes, film director
Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan writer
Reem Kelani, Palestinian singer
Leon Rosselson, musician and writer
Steven Rose, scientist
Ahdaf Soueif, author
Arundhati Roy, Booker Prize winner
Elia Suleiman, film director and actor, and 85 others
*
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