Growing calls in West to boycott “Israel” culturally over Gaza war

LONDON, Sept. 20 (YPA) – Calls are mounting within Western artistic circles for a cultural boycott of Israeli entity. Many see this as an echo of the international boycott campaign that helped dismantle the apartheid regime in South Africa.

These actions come as most Western governments hold back from imposing official economic sanctions on “Israel,” prompting artists, musicians, and writers to mobilize public pressure.

Hollywood Stars Join the Campaign

Thousands of artists, including Hollywood stars Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone, have signed an open letter calling for a boycott of Israeli institutions “complicit in the genocide” in Gaza.

British actor Khalid Abdalla, known for his roles in The Kite Runner and The Crown, stated that “the mobilization has already begun and is extending to various sectors, not just the film industry.”

Artistic protests have also reached major awards ceremonies. Several Emmy winners dedicated their speeches to Gaza, including Spanish actor Javier Bardem and American actress Hannah Einbinder.

Boycott Scope Widens

The British band Massive Attack has joined the “No Music for Genocide” campaign, which allows artists to block their work from being distributed in Israel.

Pressure is increasing to exclude Israel from the Eurovision song contest, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is leading a campaign to bar it from sporting events.

In a notable development, Israeli orchestra conductor Ilan Volkov announced from the UK that he will no longer perform in his home country.

Implications and Challenges

Swedish researcher Håkan Thörn, who specializes in boycott movements, said that what’s happening today is reminiscent of the South African boycott. He noted that “history shows that a cultural boycott alone was not enough, but it played a significant role in isolating the apartheid regime.”

In contrast, Israeli artists fear the boycott will weaken their artistic community. Israeli screenwriter Hagai Levi stated that “90% of the artistic community” opposes the war.

David Feldman, Director of the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism at Birkbeck College, London, stressed that linking boycott campaigns to antisemitism is “a claim far from the truth,” adding that “these movements are a form of protest against the destruction of Gaza and the continued killing of civilians.”

YPA