More than 1,300 artists, including Hollywood A-Listers, have promised not to work with Israeli cinematographic institutions accomplices against the Palestinians while Israel intensifies his war against Gaza.
In a commitment published on Monday, the artists – who include Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Mark Ruffalo, Rice Ahmed, Tilda Swinton and Javier Bardem – decreed “the implacable horror” in Gaza, where Israel killed more than 64,000 Palestinians and made most of the territory.
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“Inspired by the filmmakers united against apartheid who refused to project their films in South Africa in apartheid, we are committed not to project films, to appear or work differently with Israeli cinematographic institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – which are involved in the genocide and Padesinians, ”said the declaration.
Examples of accomplices in Israeli rights violations include “laundering or justification of genocide and apartheid, and / or a partnership with the government that commits them,” he added.
The commitment cited The decisions of the International Court of Justice which concluded an accusation of genocide against Israel is plausible and noted that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory is illegal.
During the 23 months of the Gaza War, academics, rights for the United Nations rights and experts accused Israel of having committed a genocide against the Palestinians.
The genocide – defined by the UN as “acts committed to the intention of destroying, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group” – is one of the most serious war crimes.
The defenders of Palestinian rights have long called on celebrities to use their scope and their status to raise awareness of the fate of the Palestinians.
The nominated filmmaker at Oscars, Mike Lerner, one of the signatories of the declaration, said that commitment was a “non -violent tool” to undermine the impunity which Israel enjoys for his conduct against the Palestinians.
“It is the responsibility of each independent spirit artist to use the expression powers they have to support world resistance to overcome this horror,” Lerner said in a statement.
Hollywood has been historically pro-Israeli, producing films like the 1960 film Exodus, which valued the Israel Foundation, and regularly inserting positive references to the country in the superproductions.
But in recent years, many actors and directors have spoken out against Israel’s policies – sometimes to the detriment of their own career.
For example, in 2023, actor Susan Sarandon, who signed Monday’s commitment, was abandoned by his talent agency after attending a solidarity rally in Palestine.
After the start of the war in Gaza, Melissa Barrera, who also joined the Boycott call, lost its role in the horror frankness Scream on publications on social networks criticizing Israel.
However, the sympathetic voices to the Palestinians continue to become stronger in the film industry.
In March, no other land, an Israeli-Palestinian film has focused on the continuous destruction of the Palestinian community of Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank, won the Oscar for the best documentary feature.
More recently, Hind Rajab’s voice, which tells the story of a five -year -old Palestinian girl who was trapped in a car with family members killed before the Israeli soldiers also killed her, received a 23 -minute standing ovation in Venice Film Festival.
The cinema focuses on the heartbreaking calls of RAJAB to rescuers under Israeli fire in Gaza City.
Monday’s commitment comes as Israel pushes to systematically destroy Gaza City, after having already leveled most of the besieged enclave.
“As filmmakers, actors, workers in the film industry and institutions, we recognize the power of cinema to shape perceptions,” said the press release.
“In this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments allow carnage in Gaza, we must do our best to fight against complicity in this relentless horror.”
