Israel Matzav

#BDS_Fail Harry Potter, Hermione and Voldemort come out against BDS

Some 150 British cultural icons, including Harry Potter author @JK_Rowling (who is followed by an astounding 5.76 MILLION people on Twitter while following only 229), have come out against the anti-Israel BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement.

More than 150 British artists, including Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, have signed a public letter opposing boycott campaigns against Israel.

The group, which also includes Booker Prize-winning author Hilary Mantel and noted historian and BBC presenter Simon Schama, wrote an op-ed in The Guardian criticizing an earlier effort by British artists to refuse to perform in Israel in protest of the country’s treatment of Palestinians. “Cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory and will not further peace,” the letter said.

The letter announced the creation of Culture for Coexistence, a group that “will be seeking to inform and encourage dialogue about Israel and the Palestinians in the wider cultural and creative community. While we may not all share the same views on the policies of the Israeli government, we all share a desire for peaceful coexistence.”

Here's the best part:

Culture for Coexistence wants to be “a tiny part of the jigsaw that can work towards breaking down barriers,” Loraine da Costa, the chair of the group, told The Guardian in an interview. The group also hopes to “take people to Israel and the Palestinian territories to have a dialogue with cultural counterparts there.”

So can we expect Rowling here soon? Hmmm.

Labels: BDS, Britain

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:35 PM