2011 was a year of hope and revolution. At the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), we began the year with a message of solidarity with the people behind the revolutions in the region. By mid-year, the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) National Committee (BNC) expressed a similar sentiment of solidarity with movements around the world that seized on this revolutionary moment. [1]

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) welcomes the cancellation of Joker’s scheduled performance in Israel. We appreciate his willingness to dialogue with our supporters and to take the time to learn about and reflect on Israel’s violations of international law and the human rights of Palestinians. We do, however, wish to address some stated reasons for his cancellation reported in various press, which included his concern over violent threats that he may or may not have claimed activists had made against him.

For background on the issue, this is from a recent Press release from the Italian Coalition Stop That Train:On 30 November, the City Council of Rho, in the province of Milan, approved a resolution expressing “moral and political condemnation of Pizzarotti & C. S.p.A. for its participation in the project for the construction of the A1 Jerusalem – Tel Aviv railway”.Pizzarotti is a contractor for the Israeli project for the new A1 high-speed railway that will connect Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

[This letter was sent privately to Jane Birkin on 21 November 2011.  We release it as we continue to wait for her response.]

Dear Jane Birkin,

Palestinians the world over have been encouraged by the overwhelming support from the UNESCO General Conference of Member States for the admission of Palestine as a full member in this key United Nations body.  Palestinians are hopeful that this historic decision will pave the way for UNESCO to be a more responsible player in the international community, particularly in upholding international law and UN resolutions concerning Palestinian rights.

Palestinians the world over have been encouraged by the overwhelming support from the UNESCO General Conference of Member States for the admission of Palestine as a full member in this key United Nations body.  Palestinians are hopeful that this historic decision will pave the way for UNESCO to be a more responsible player in the international community, particularly in upholding international law and UN resolutions concerning Palestinian rights.