Ingezonden door Clara Legêne: een oproep van Jewish Voice for Peace:

I just sent an email supporting some of my greatest heroes who are under attack (1)– people like Alice Walker, Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler, Naomi Klein, Daniel Boyarin, and Jane Fonda.

I hope you’ll do the same here:
hier

Why are they being attacked? Because they signed “The Toronto Declaration”, a letter (2) questioning the wisdom of unconditionally celebrating Tel Aviv and Israel at the Toronto International Film Festival just months after the brutal attack on Gaza, and while 1.5 million Gazans suffer the effects of an ongoing blockade of food, medical supplies and goods; and while the Israeli government continues to dispossess Palestinians from their homes and lands, without any accountability.

While the right wing commentators, media outlets, and Jewish institutions issuing these attacks have the right to disagree with the letter, they don’t have the right to foment attacks and shut down debate based on inaccurate charges and overheated rhetoric.

The 1,000 artists and writers who signed this statement, including many Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, are being falsely charged with boycott, censorship, and even, amazingly enough, supporting the destruction of Israel.(3)

Nothing could be further from the truth- read the letter yourself.(4) If anything, they’ve cracked the debate wide open, which is exactly the point of the letter.(5) The brave signers of the letter need your help. Please sign the petition saying you stand with them.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/t/9047/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1433

The list of moral giants like President Carter and Archbishop Tutu who have been the target of intimidation tactics like these is growing larger by the minute. We need to finally stand up against the bullying attacks against anyone who dares to question the status quo regarding Israel.

The people who signed this letter are not picking on Israel. They are people of conscience who have devoted their lives to social justice and who have spoken out on many issues, among them:

* Harry Belafonte who marched with King and helped plan the March on Washington.
* Howard Zinn, the voice of conscience of American History.
* The legendary screenwriter Walter Bernstein, born in 1919, who was blacklisted and forced to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He knows about real censorship and would never endorse it.
* The playwright Eve Ensler, who has perhaps done more than anyone in the world to shine a spotlight on the mass rapes in the Congo.

They also include people like the Palestinian fillmaker Elia Sulieman and Israeli filmmaker Udi Aloni, both of whom have films in the festival; the actor and playwright Wallace Shawn; and musician David Byrne.

This story isn’t just about a film festival. This is about defending the right of people, no matter who they are, to express their views, to open up the conversation, and to use nonviolent means to end Israel’s occupation and bring justice for all people to the region.

(1) hier
(2) hier
(3) hier
(4) hier
(5) hier

Please join me and sign the petition now.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/301/t/9047/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1433