[lbo-talk] Yes to Boycott—No to Nationalism!

Bryan Atinsky bryan at alt-info.org
Wed Oct 25 00:40:10 PDT 2006


Yes to Boycott—No to Nationalism!

http://alternativenews.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=594&Itemid=1

Juliano Mer Khamis

My recent letter regarding the Palestinian filmmakers’ boycott against Israeli artists and cultural events has been misinterpreted and misused by certain individuals and journalists to justify their own stand against the boycott. I would like to make myself clear.

I fully support the boycott, but I want to make a clear distinction between those we should boycott and those we shouldn’t, between who is a supporter and who is an oppressor. Instead of fearing the presence and cooperation of those Israelis who support us, we must encourage them to continue and intensify their struggle against the occupation.

We, the signatories, must not allow those who hypocritically call themselves supporters of the Palestinian cause to ride on our backs and indiscriminately boycott all Israeli artists as their ultimate means of struggling against Israel. Amongst us are Jews and Palestinians—Muslims and Christians—who hold an Israeli passport, but not out of choice. We live under the Israeli regime but we see ourselves as Palestinians.

I have been accused of being a hypocrite; of boycotting, while at the same time being active and performing in, Israeli theatres and cinemas. To my accusers I say: I have left the Israeli stage, television and cinema as a clear move towards disengaging myself from a society which has narrowed its cultural, political, economic and social activity down to means of oppression, discrimination and humiliation of the Palestinian people.

Through my letter, I was hoping to call for an open debate to clarify our strategy and tactics, which this Intifada lacks the most—not to gain sympathy and support for myself or for my film.

At this point, I would like to take the opportunity to call upon my fellow artists and filmmakers to join us in the boycott against those Israeli cultural events and institutions which are supported by the government and which do not take a clear stand against the occupation. I would like to call upon you to join this boycott, which will hopefully expand from the purely artistic and cultural to the academic and financial levels.



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