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UK artists and politicians back cultural bridges, reject Israel boycott
Around 150 leading British artists and politicians have published a letter in this morning’s Guardian which calls for cultural cooperation and dialogue as a bridge to peace and rejects cultural boycotts of Israel as divisive and anathema to peace.
The letter was written in support of a new initiative, Culture for Coexistence, described as “an independent UK network representing a cross-section from the cultural world.” Signatories include Harry Potter author JK Rowling, Melvyn Bragg, historians Simon Schama and Niall Ferguson, plus 14 MPs including former-minister Sir Eric Pickles.
The letter counters another letter published by the Guardian in February, in which several hundred UK artists announced their intention to culturally boycott Israel. This morning’s letter argues that “Cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory, and will not further peace. Open dialogue and interaction promote greater understanding and mutual acceptance,” ultimately boosting the chances of a resolution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
The signatories said “we all believe in a two-state solution so that the national self-determination of both peoples is realised, with the state of Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security.” To that end, “We will be seeking to inform and encourage dialogue about Israel and the Palestinians in the wider cultural and creative community.”
Loraine da Costa, who heads Culture for Coexistence, emphasised to the Guardian that, “This is essentially a British initiative – we haven’t reached out to Israelis or Palestinians,” but that “If there are Palestinians who’d like to be part of our initiative, we’d love to reach out to them.”
Da Costa added that, “The call for a cultural boycott of Israel is fundamentally flawed and morally wrong. Culture is a unique way of engaging with, listening to and learning from ‘the other.’” Former-BBC Chairman Lord Grade, who signed the letter commented, “Attempts to single out the democratic State of Israel for boycotts of any kind have no place in the free world; they are a tool of totalitarianism.”