Artists against Israeli apartheid movement grows

By Nisa Islam Muhammad -Staff Writer- | Last updated: Jun 28, 2012 - 7:42:36 PM

'The testimony we heard, both from Israelis and Palestinians (I was a jurist) was devastating. I grew up under American apartheid and this was far worse. Indeed, many South Africans who attended, including Desmond Tutu, felt the Israeli version of these crimes is worse even than what they suffered under the white supremacist regimes that dominated South Africa for so long.'
—Alice Walker

(FinalCall.com) - Alice Walker, author and activist, joins a growing group of artists and entertainers who are boycotting Israel for its treatment of Palestinians in what many are calling apartheid practices.

Ms. Walker has refused to allow Yediot Books to publish in Hebrew her Pulitzer Prize winning novel turned movie turned Broadway Musical.

“Thank you so much for wishing to publish my novel THE COLOR PURPLE. It isn’t possible for me to permit this at this time for the following reason: As you may know, last Fall in South Africa the Russell Tribunal on Palestine met and determined that Israel is guilty of apartheid and persecution of the Palestinian people, both inside Israel and also in the Occupied Territories,” she wrote.

“The testimony we heard, both from Israelis and Palestinians (I was a jurist) was devastating. I grew up under American apartheid and this was far worse. Indeed, many South Africans who attended, including Desmond Tutu, felt the Israeli version of these crimes is worse even than what they suffered under the white supremacist regimes that dominated South Africa for so long.”

She added, “It is my hope that the non-violent BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, of which I am part, will have enough of an impact on Israeli civilian society to change the situation.”

In 2005, Palestinian civil society issued a call for a campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights.

The Anti-Defamation League’s National Director Abraham Foxman responded to Ms. Walker with this statement:

“It is more out of sadness than anger that we react to the news of Alice Walker’s decision not to publish her classic novel, “The Color Purple,” in Hebrew. It is sad that people who inspire to fight bigotry and prejudice continue to have a biased and bigoted side.”

“For some time Walker has been blinded by her anti-Israel animus. Unfortunately, this willful ignorance and bias against Israel has led her to exercise poor judgment in her publishing endeavors.”

While he may feel that Ms. Walker is blinded, many more are opening their eyes to the suffering of the Palestinian people.

“Paul Robeson said that an artist must stand for slavery or freedom. Some artists are for slavery and some are for freedom,” poet and artist Luci Murphy told The Final Call.

“I’m a member of Artists Against Apartheid. We encourage artists not to perform in Israel and to support the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) group. We’re constantly reaching out to artists to get them to resist performing in Israel.”

Since 1948 when Israel was established Palestinians have seen their land stolen, violations of peace agreements, and growing human rights violations all under the guise of securing Israel’s freedom.

Saeed Amireh, 21, a peace activist from Nilin in the West Bank, told the media: “We don’t have freedom of movement. They don’t want peace; they just want us to disappear. They are suppressing our very existence.”

Mr. Foxman explains Israels’ actions to Ms. Walker.

“As someone who is seen as a leader in the fight against racism and discrimination, we hope that Ms. Walker will make the effort to truly understand Israel’s fight for its survival and reconsider her unfortunate and discriminatory decision.”

But many don’t see it that way and want to enact boycotts similar to the ones that toppled the South African regime. Singer Madonna was criticized for performing in Israel last month.

“By performing in Israel, Madonna has consciously and shamefully lent her name to fig-leafing Israel’s occupation and apartheid and showed her obliviousness to human rights,” Omar Barghouti of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel told reporters.

Madonna responded to the criticism by saying that she was singing for peace.

“As we’ve learned from the South African struggle for freedom, entertaining Israeli apartheid should never be mislabeled as singing for peace,” said Mr. Barghouti.

The calls for boycotts are not just coming from outside of Israel.

“We, Palestinians, Jews, citizens of Israel, join the Palestinian call for a BDS campaign against Israel, inspired by the struggle of South Africans against apartheid. We also call on others to do the same,” writes members of Boycott from Within.

“We are devoted to the promotion of just peace and true democracy in this region. We are particularly opposed to Western governments’ decision to boycott the Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, most especially in besieged Gaza. This is particularly outrageous given the same Western governments’ prolonged support of Israel’s apartheid and other daily violations of international law.”

Boycott targets Israeli apartheid (FCN, 05-12-2011)

The Unholy Alliance Between Israel and South Africa’s Apartheid Regime (FCN, 12-23-2010)

Activists: Time for Blacks to speak out against Israeli violence (FCN, 01-14-2009)

Pledging Allegiance to AIPAC (FCN, 07-11-2008)

Alison Weir Interview - Palestine: If Americans Knew (FCN, 12-24-2007)

South African Archbishop likens Palestinian life to life under apartheid (FCN, 11-16-2007)

Pro-Israel lobby dictates U.S. policy, study charges (FCN, 04-05-2006)