Internationl Boycott Israeli Art Institutions
oznik-news - 28.04.2002 04:43
180 signers already, including a few Israelis. Please pass on... It seems that at this stage translation and distributions in more languages would help
Boycott Israeli Art Institutions FAQ - oznik.com
180 signers already, including a few Israelis. Please pass on... It seems that at this stage translation and distributions in more languages would helpBoycot Israeli
Arts Institutions:
Frequently
Asked Questions
Please send us
your thoughts or comments
26 Apr.
2002
What
is happenning in Jenin?
We think that before challenging
this boycott one should first make sure one is well informed about Jenin refugee
camp, and the rest of the West Bank. The information is available. Let no
one say in hindsight that they did not know.
Where
can we read the appeal?
Who
signed it?
How
can I join?
Why
Boycott Israeli Art Institutions?
But
many Israeli artists support Peace...
Who
are you to judge what artists are OK?
But
if we visit we can see for ourselves...
Isn´t
an economical boycott more effective?
What
is happenning in Jenin?
We think that before
challenging this boycott one should first make sure one is well informed
about Jenin refugee camp, and the rest of the West Bank. The information
is available. Let no one say in hindsight that they did not know:
Survivor
Testimonies
documented by the Indepndent
Coloardo
solidarity delegation reports
Extra-Judicial
Executions - from Law Society
Bodies continute to
rot under the rubble what had been home to to 15,000 refugees. 150 camp
residents remain unaccounted for. After 8 days of military assault, and
several more of total
siege, half of the 50 found bodies are of civilians. Houses collapsed
over residents as Israel bombed them with airplanes, helicopters, missiles,
tanks, and shells, then brought in armored buldozers to finish
the job and bury the evidence. Israeli diplomats try to hamper
a U.N. investigation. A member of the Israeli cabinet revealed that
some of the army´s operations were video taped by surveilance airplanes.
And all major Human
Rights organizations converged to demand a immediate international
intervention.
Jenin illustrates events
all over the West Bank and Gaza, where Israel kills several Palestinans every
day, and 3 Million people are literally being locked into their villages,
or neighborhoods. Civil infrastructure has been wiped out, including medical
services, schools, offices, banks, and computers whereever they were found.
Thousands
of men are imprisoned without trial.
Where
can we read the appeal?
The text
of the appeal is on-line:  http://oznik.com/petitions/020704.html
Who
signed it?
More
than 180 artists and concerned individuals have signed. The list
of endorsers is kept up to date on the same web page.
How
can I join?
Send an email with your
name, field of activity and/or institutional affiliation, city, and country
to  arts-appeal@oznik.com.
Why
Boycott Israeli Art Institutions?
Because all over the
West Bank and Gaza the Israeli army perpetrates crimes against humanity, we
call for a ban on Israeli art institutions and events, including museums,
the Israel Festival, etc... We also call on artists not to exhibit their work,
or perform in Israel, which has, in its criminal acts, delegitimized itself
as a venue.
We think pop artists
should not come to entertain the Israeli public, and artists should not
legitimize the coziness of museums and museum goers. Someone visiting the
Israel Museum these days must be aware that they are buying a ticket to
a pride piece funded by, and serving the Occupation Regime. They should
not expect to see the work of a living artist of conscience.
But
many Israeli artists support Peace...
This is not a call to
isolate Israeli artists. While some institutions in Israel, such as Dar
Andalus publishing (for example) are actively struggling against the occupation,
and some Israeli artists even signed this appeal, the same cannot be said
of Israeli arts institutions. This week, The Lovers of San Franando, by
Swedish filmmaker Peter Torbiornsson was expelled from the Doc-Aviv documentary
film festival, in Tel-Aviv- because the director wrote a letter condemnig
the occupation and asked that it be read out before his film was screened.
The IUPA, the Union of Israeli Performing Artists called off a gala evening
in honor of singer Yafa Yarkoni because she spoke out against the occupation.
Who
are you to judge what artists are OK?
Let´s keep this crystal
clear: we nominate no one to compile lists of politically good, or politically
bad artists.
In the original text
we named five Israeli artists who are active against the occupation as an
example, we decided to remove these names to prevent even the possibility
of an implied blacklist in reverse. We embrace Israeli artists who struggle
against the occupation.
But
if we visit we can see for ourselves.
By all means. Visit,
help survivors, document, report. Visits like the one by a delegation of writers
from the International Writers´
Parliament just before the current assault is but one example of what
artists can do. Join the International
Solidarity Movement, U.S.A: Contact Thom
Saffold or Paul Larudee.
Palestine: Contact George Rishmawi in Palestine.
Isn´t
an economical boycott more effective?
It´s important. Here´s
a good resource about the campaign
to boycott Israeli goods.
 Website: http://oznik.com
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