We, the undersigned US artists and cultural workers, condemn the current Israeli attack and aggression on Gaza and commit to support the Palestinian call for the cultural boycott of Israel.  We also add our voices in support of the ‘Solidarity with Gaza’ statement from Palestinian artists, cultural workers and performing arts organizations, which reads:

‘While governments are once again turning their backs, people around the world are raising their voices; taking to the streets and refusing to let the people of Gaza suffer in silence. We urge our colleagues, friends and partners not to stay silent and join us in our protest.

We particularly call upon our fellow artists and cultural organizations to condemn the current aggressions against Gaza and the occupation of Palestine through petitions, protests and statements. Further to that, we urge you to act by supporting the Palestinian cultural and academic boycott of Israel (PACBI), thereby refusing to be complicit in the ongoing occupation and apartheid.’

We commit to raising our voices by by joining local protests and actions, as well as mobilizing alongside long-term efforts of the growing grassroots movement in support of Palestine in the US.

As Israel continues to attack Palestinians in Gaza and maintain a system of military, economic and social control over the Palestinian people throughout the land of Palestine while denying the right of return to millions of Palestinian refugees, Palestinian civil society has called upon the international community to take action in the form of boycotts, divestments and sanctions of Israeli institutions until Israel complies with international law.

In particular, Israel has engaged in a dubious campaign of normalizing its violence using cultural workers and artists to whitewash its actions, known as the ‘Brand Israel’  campaign. As such, it becomes even more urgent for artists and cultural workers to stand up to Israel”s rebranding and normalization campaigns by adhering to the Palestinian Campaign for the Cultural & Academic Boycott of Israel (PACBI) cultural boycott guidelines.

Every day, the toll of deaths and injuries in Gaza grows. Our call comes after weeks of a devastating campaign of settler and military violence and mass arrests targeting Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem. As cultural workers and artists, we feel a responsibility to support the call from the arts community in Palestine for a cultural boycott of Israel, and to make clear that we will not be complicit in marketing “Brand Israel” to the world.

Signed,

To sign, click here: http://bit.ly/Wrc53M