August 2016
From Israeli Citizens to Sia Furler:
We are Israeli citizens, opposed to the Israeli government’s policies of oppression, occupation, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Palestinian people [1]. It's our long years of anti-racism activism that have brought us to the understanding that the most effective way to stop the apartheid system in Israel is to boycott it. Therefore, we strongly support the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), aimed at ending this apartheid regime through a nonviolent strategy [2]. We write to you, asking that you heed the Palestinian call and cancel your concert in Israel.
Given that this is your first concert in Israel, we find it important to update you with regard to the crimes and injustice that Israel is inflicting on the indigenous Palestinian people. Note that Tel Aviv, where you are scheduled to perform, is just like apartheid South Africa’s Sun City at the time of the apartheid regime there. Like Sun City, Tel Aviv is used as a tool to market the state of Israel as a “cool” and “cultured” democracy, while covering up a brutal history of occupation, colonization, and ethnic cleansing. For example, the indigenous Palestinians that had inhabited Al M’asudyia (known today as “Tel Aviv”) were killed or expelled during the Nakba - the ethnic cleansing committed by Zionist militias in 1948 [3].
The Gaza Strip is under a continuous Israeli siege, where Israel conducts major bombing campaigns on a regular basis, three in the past seven years. The most recent one, in 2014, called “Operation Protective Edge”, resulted in over 2200 innocent Palestinian citizens massacred, over 500 of whom were children [4]. Eighty-nine families were completely wiped out and 18,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. The next massacre in Gaza is just a matter of time, since Israel keeps inflicting atrocities on Gaza on a regular basis: Israel’s ongoing siege keeps devastating life in Gaza; Israeli firing at Palestinian farmers and fishermen occurs regularly; Israel’s tanks’ invasions of Palestinian farming fields and villages continue as well [5]. In addition, Israel is massively demolishing Palestinian homes, committing extrajudicial executions (of children and minors as well) and committing war crimes in the West Bank, an area full of illegal Israeli settlements and Israeli military checkpoints.
As privileged Israeli citizens and political activists who live in the midst of this reality, we believe that the only way to stop this oppressive regime in the most nonviolent way is not to take part in it, but rather - to boycott it. This means not participating in Israel’s whitewashing and apartheid policies.
We know that in 2015 you performed in a charity concert against racism in America, and that you are an animal rights activist. We ask you to raise your voice against racism here and stand against it, not just with words, but also with actions.
Please cancel your concert in Israel.
Sincerely,
Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within
[2]https://bdsmovement.net/call
[3]https://electronicintifada.net/content/jaffa-eminence-ethnic-cleansing/8088
[4] https://blackfriday.amnesty.org/
[5]http://www.adalah.org/en/content/view/7771