Lætitia Sadier

September 6 2018

Dear Laetitia Sadier,

We are a group of Israeli citizens who support the BDS campaign.

We have already sent you a letter (http://boycottisrael.info/node/346), asking you not to take part in the Meteor Festival, which is used by the State of Israel to market itself as a "cool multicultural democracy".

In response to your recent note, we would like to clarify. BDS is the opposite of war. BDS is a nonviolent campaign to end war and oppression, namely, Israel's apartheid and war on the Palestinian people

We believe that your recent note conveys a certain misunderstanding of the situation here and the role of political protest.

In your note, you argue that some Israelis are opposed to the Israeli government in order to justify a performance here. You also claim that the festival "connects" people. We find that to be patently false. First, while there are Israeli dissidents (we're some of them), opposition on the ground within Israel to Israel's ongoing war crimes is very small. Furthermore, millions of Palestinians living under Israel's apartheid, in the besieged and bombarded Gaza strip or the occupied and colonized West Bank are not allowed to cross the green line border and go to the festival. No connection and no healing can take place under such circumstances.

Music can only play a constructive role if it is part of a relevant political campaign which is grounded in reality. For example, concerts by international artists in apartheid South Africa meant very little if the idea was just "to promote peace". On the other hand, a musical piece such as "I ain't gonna play Sun City" by Artists United Against Apartheid helped educate the global public and galvanize the international movement for justice and equality in South Africa.

The BDS campaign to end apartheid in South Africa is considered very justifiable nowadays, even if some whites in South Africa were opposed to the apartheid regime. In fact, white anti-apartheid activists in South Africa supported this campaign.

We hope you understand that the BDS campaign does not target individuals, but its goal is to end the belligerent military occupation and apartheid regime of the State of Israel.

We would like to cite a courageous moral statement by Of Montreal, who have canceled their performance at the Meteor Festival:
"To ignore the call to stand up in support of an oppressed group of humans is one of the worst things one can do."
(https://www.facebook.com/25796438685/posts/10156677255203686/)

We hope you reconsider your decision, and cancel your show at the Meteor Festival. 

Sincerely

Boycott from Within (Israeli citizens for BDS)