We are signing on to the Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). We do so in solidarity with the people of Palestine, and in support of their struggle for liberation from Israeli occupation, dispossession, and genocide.
As such, we refuse to use our resources or platforms to support the state of Israel, or Israeli academic and cultural institutions complicit in its crimes. We therefore reject projects or collaborations with institutions that normalize the occupation of Palestine and dispossession of Palestinians.
Inspired by the cultural boycott campaign against apartheid South Africa, PACBI aims to draw a line between culture workers and the actions of governments funding and endorsing the occupation and ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Israel. Cultural institutions are integral to the ideological scaffolding of Israel’s regime of settler colonial occupation against Palestinians. Israeli cultural institutions have cast their lot with the hegemonic Zionist establishment. Notwithstanding the efforts of principled individual artists, these institutions are implicated in supporting and artwashing Israel’s ongoing genocide.
It should be emphasized that PACBI is anchored in precepts of international law and universal human rights. Its target is organizations, and it rejects on principle boycotts of individuals based on their identity (such as citizenship, race, gender, or religion) or opinion. Institutions that recognize Palestinian rights, and end all forms of complicity in violating those rights, are exempt from this boycott.
MLK described a boycott as “withdrawing our cooperation from an evil system,” and we will likewise refuse to cooperate with systems that justify occupation and genocide.
If you are an artist, culture worker, board member, or other contributor to a cultural organization, publication, or venue, we encourage you to join us in adopting this commitment.
If you are: ready to commit, curious to learn more, or want to talk through concerns, email
[email protected]
Endorsements from orgs of any size are deeply impactful, and set precedent for a wider adoption in the arts.
