Image by Bahraini artist Sarah Qaid
15 September 2020 -- Dozens of Arab artists, including many Palestinians, have pledged to boycott cultural activities sponsored by the UAE regime after the latter announced it would normalize relations with Israel.
Leading names in cinema, music, photography, performing arts, and others affirm that they “support the Palestinian struggle for liberation, self-determination and the return of refugees.” They include filmmakers Mai Masri, Hany Abu Assad, and Mohammad Bakri; visual artists Rachid Koraichi, Nabeel Anani, and Suleiman Mansour; and musicians Rima Tarazi and Kamilya Jubran.
The initiative was launched by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), along with partners in the Arab world and internationally.
All Arab artists who support the Palestinian cause and reject normalization with Israel are invited to sign. The full text and list of signatories is below.
As artists in/from the Arab [1] region, including Palestinians, engaged in our environments through the creation of art, we are committed to justice and progressive social change in line with our values. We therefore support the Palestinian struggle for liberation, self-determination and the return of refugees.
In harmony with the statement issued by leading parties, trade unions, women’s associations, as well as human rights and other organizations across the Arab region against the UAE regime’s normalization agreement with Israel’s regime of occupation and apartheid, and understanding that the people of the UAE had no say in the agreement and could hardly express public opposition to it:
We pledge not to participate in any event sponsored by the UAE regime or by any company or institution that is complicit in the implementation of the normalization agreement until the UAE ends its normalization with Israel and ends its grave violations of human rights.
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[1] Upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we condemn racism and discrimination (according to the UN criteria) in all its forms. We reject the exclusion of national/ethnic minorities in the Arab region as well as all discrimination or persecution against them. We understand “Arabism” not in its narrow ethnic or national sense, but rather in its progressive and inclusive sense of democratic citizenry that considers national/ethnic minorities as an integral part of the composition of the Arab region and its peoples.
Initial signatories:
Mai Masri (film)
Hany Abu Assad (film)
Muhammad Bakri (film)
Rachid Koraichi (visual art)
Sulaiman Mansour (visual art)
Rima Tarazi (music)
Nabeel Anani (visual art)
Hani Zurob (visual art)
Kamilya Jubran (music)
Amal Ramsis (film)
Saleh Bakri (film)
Amer Zahr (comedy)
Samia Halaby (visual art)
Sana Mousa (music)
Mai Odeh (film)
Ramzi Aburedwan (music)
Vera Tamari (visual art)
Nasser Soumi (art)
Nai Barghouti (music)
Signatories (alphabetical):
Ahmad Al-Jamal (music)
Akram Abdulfattah (music)
Alaa’ Azzam (music)
Ayham Nadir (music)
Eleni Mustaklem (music)
Emile Andre Saba (theatre)
Eyad Stati (music)
Farah Saleh (dance)
Fathi Abdelrahman (theatre)
Habib Shehadeh Hanna (music)
Hanin Al-Rjoub (music)
Ibtisam Ahmad (music)
Jalal Nadir Jalal (music)
Khaled Jarrar (film)
Midhat Husseini (music)
Mira Abu Hilal (music)
Mohammad Al-Ghoul (music)
Mohammad Al-Rjoub (music)
Mohammad Badarneh (photography)
Nicola Zreineh (film)
Nidal Khairy (cartoon)
Riham Isaac (theatre)
Samer Jaradat (music)
Tamer Nassar (music)
Tareq Abboushi (music)
Terez Sulaiman (music)
Ula Tabari (film)
Waleed Abdulsalam (music)
Yasar Saadat (music)
Zakaria Ibrahim (theatre)
Walid Ben Selim (music)
Groups and Cultural Organizations:
Al Harah Theatre
Al- Kamandjati Association
Ashtar for Theatre Productions and Training
Edward Said National Conservatory of Music
El Funoun Popular Palestinian Dance Troupe
Ettijahat- Independent Culture
Freedom Theatre
Naqsh Popular Art Troupe
Nawa-The Palestinian Institute for Cultural Devalopment
Palestinian Circus School
Popular Art Centre
The Popular Theatre
Theatre Day Productions
Wishah Popular Dance Troupe
Yes Theatre