Jews Protest Israeli Dance

Jews for a Just Peace-NC http://www.jfajpnc.org/ set up a "Palestinian house demolition" tableau in front of the Durham Performing Arts Center to protest an American Dance Festival performance by the Israel-based Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollak Dance Company on June 17, 2010. The protesters exposed the fact that Israel's cultural exports have become a tool to divert attention from Israel's human rights violations. The setup of a demolished home guarded by Israeli soldiers returns the spotlight to those violations. It represents the more than 24,000 Palestinian homes destroyed since 1967 and symbolizes Israel's illegal occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem and the collective punishment of 1.5 million Gazans under siege due to Israel's blockade.

Sponsorship and funding for this dance company and other Israeli cultural endeavors come in part from the Israeli government, which is engaged in the Brand Israel campaign to reshape the image of Israel through public relations. Ido Aharoni, head of Israel's Foreign Ministry's brand management team, wishes to reposition "Israel away from an image of a country in a state of war and conflict to a brand which represents positive values and ideals like 'building the future,' 'vibrant diversity,' and 'entrepreneurial zeal'" (Winning the Battle of the Narrative, presented at the January 2010 Herzliya conference).

With such compromised political backing, art cannot be considered simply a positive expression of human creativity. Israeli artists performing abroad are cultural ambassadors legitimizing Israel as a whole, including its policies. These policies -- exemplified by the violent intransigence of the Netanyahu/Lieberman government -- are not in the long-term interests of Israelis, Palestinians, or Americans. Until the conflict is resolved justly, there can be no peace or security in the Middle East or elsewhere. Misleading public relations campaigns are not substitutes for constructive steps towards a just peace.

Jews for a Just Peace asks the US government to withdraw its yearly $ 3 billion support until Israel acts towards Palestinians in ways that respect their human rights as well as their internationally recognized right to self-determination. It also asks that the American Dance Festival refrain from inviting artists who provide de facto cover for policies that flout international law and human rights.

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[msmidoa]

I am not interested to receive any messages from people who do not know our history and obviously nothing about our huge efforts on having good relation with our neighbors. Do not forget America"s Australia "s India "s history.

But I do believe that one day we will succeed to achieve-Shalom - with a lot of understanding from both sides.

[jfajp1]

@msmidoa You say that you are not interested in listening to people that think differently from you (whom you dismiss as know-nothings), but in the same paragraph you also say that you believe that one day you will succeed in achieving peace, “with a lot of understanding on both sides”. It sounds contradictory to me.

By the way, if you only want messages from your friends you shouldn’t post any messages on this site.

[msmidoa]

It is easy to judge Israel's policy when you don’t live here in Israel.

Is sad to see people who are claiming to be Jewish and talk against Israel

This is called, to betray your own culture, people, and mother-country, the only one that you have.

Come to live here for a while and I promise you that your " philosophy " will change.

[jfajp1]

There are many Israelis who criticize Israel and live there. What matters is not where you live, but how objectively you evaluate information.

Israel is a country, not a deity. Allegiance to the politics of a State has nothing to do with Jewish identity, which has persisted for 2000 years without a State. Using patriotism to cover-up Israel’s political misdeeds is the real betrayal, because it ultimately harms Israelis, Palestinians, and the prospects of a just peace between them.

[jfajp1]

This video shows how, at an Israeli dance performance, we expose Israel's use of cultural exports as diversion from its human rights violations. We re-focus on those violations by staging a demolished home guarded by Israeli soldiers as a symbol for the 24,000 Palestinian homes destroyed since 1967.

Artists abroad are cultural ambassadors and their art is compromised when sponsored by a compromised government. Some Israeli artists are now political tools legitimizing illegitimate policies.

[glipworth]

so... Israel produces dancers, Palestinians produce terrorists, and you protest against DANCERS?!? these are artists who have nothing to do with politics... Hey, I'm Israeli too, if one day I become a professor and collaborate on research here in the USA, are you going to protest my existance too?!?

Modren day Kapos, that's what we have here. We also had jews helping the Nazis, hoping they will be spared. Sadly you didn't learn from they weren't.

[jfajp1]

glipworth:

Things are not as simple as “Israel produces dancers, Palestinians produce terrorists”; and we do not protest anyone’s “existence”, only the implications of the show.

Read the text and listen carefully to the video. As a future scientist you should consider all facts, even those you don’t like.

Finally, comparing Jews that oppose Israel’s policies to Nazis suggest the lack of better arguments on your part. Demonization of dissent is contrary to what democracy should be about.

[MichaelCheckForYou]

i hope you will die dumb people!

the arab goverment supporting hamas,hizzbala,al quida,and the muslim brothers for anti israel terror

always fear of rockets and terror!

[batyam1987]

There are always self hating jews that don't know ANYTHING about Israel. Bad apples... GOD BLESS ISRAEL. The houses that are demolished are of terrorists who MURDERED our people in full support of their familes and show a video to proof it.

ITS NOT SOUTH AFRICA THERE ARE 1.5 MILLION ARABS LIVE IN ISRAEL WITH FULL RIGHTS BETTER THAN ANY ARAB COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

[Locodelic]

I wish I could like this 1,000,000 times.

[freelebenon]

@SkittlesGirlygirl anti zionizem is used as a cover to deny existance of only jewish state in the world what is that called antisemitism we are not stupid long live israel and palestine in peace

[freelebenon]

@jfajp1 i was in counter demo in favor of israel in front of israeli consulate in los angles. a jewish guy came over to our side and said he wanted to talk to us about our support for israel, we ask hime to recite SHEMA a jewish prayer that a real jew should know by hart none of the people claiming to be jews could do that. it was laghable they are not jews

[YehudaMizrahi]

Of of course left wing nuthead Jews who probably don't know one Hebrew word, last time they went to a Synagogue was probably 10 years ago, what a shame they have no culture and lost their Jewish identity, they are worst than the secular Israelis in Israel. Instead of getting nonsense information they should protest against the Jews in Arab countries being killed and treated unfairly by Arabs and against the Native Assyrians being murdered by Arab in Iraq. Shame on you.

[msmidoa]

Hello

I do have so many things to say pro Israel.

I do not want to open a war against everyone that thinks different; I just want to understand your point of you and is hard for me as is hard for you to understand my point.

Things that you see from here you don’t see from there.

I am happy to continue to talk to you in an civilized way.