Israelis call on Leonard Cohen to cancel concert
May 22, 2009 - 12:54am
We are Jews, Palestinians, Israeli citizens, who hold your poetry and music in high esteem, and it is because of this respect for your artistic contributions and your moral Buddhist commitment to "save all beings" that we hope that our appeal to you to cancel your planned performance in Israel will not fall on deaf ears.
Israel is facing one of its most immoral historical moments. Its ruthless, criminal bashing of the Palestinians has been met with little international criticism or curbing. The silence of most of the world's governments continues to embolden successive Israeli governments to commit more violent acts. Israel has violated numerous international laws, but so far for Israeli Jews life in Israel goes on as if nothing happened. Indeed, your people, Cohen, have built "a new Dachau, And call it love, Security, Jewish culture," as you have so perceptively put it yourself in "Questions for Shomrim," but only a few voices have been raised against these injustices.
It is left for us, citizens of the world, to condemn Israeli atrocities and crimes against humanity. Dissociating ourselves from Israel's brutal policies is the only nonviolent way now to avoid becoming complicit in the killing, the wounding and the maiming, and the robbing of Palestinians. Faced with all this and more, Palestinians are calling on all people to support their struggle for their basic rights. Unfortunately, recognizing Palestinian rights will require a fundamental shift in Israeli society. We suspect that this change will be achieved only via external pressure. The least that one can do in such a situation is not act as if it is business as usual. We see our society becoming more and more calloused and racist and given your longstanding, vocal commitment to justice, we cannot envision you cooperating with continued Israeli defiance of justice and morality; we cannot envision you playing a part in the Israeli charade of self-righteousness. We appeal to you to add your voice to those brave people the world over who boycott Israel. We urge you to cancel your planned performance in Israel.
Israel is facing one of its most immoral historical moments. Its ruthless, criminal bashing of the Palestinians has been met with little international criticism or curbing. The silence of most of the world's governments continues to embolden successive Israeli governments to commit more violent acts. Israel has violated numerous international laws, but so far for Israeli Jews life in Israel goes on as if nothing happened. Indeed, your people, Cohen, have built "a new Dachau, And call it love, Security, Jewish culture," as you have so perceptively put it yourself in "Questions for Shomrim," but only a few voices have been raised against these injustices.
It is left for us, citizens of the world, to condemn Israeli atrocities and crimes against humanity. Dissociating ourselves from Israel's brutal policies is the only nonviolent way now to avoid becoming complicit in the killing, the wounding and the maiming, and the robbing of Palestinians. Faced with all this and more, Palestinians are calling on all people to support their struggle for their basic rights. Unfortunately, recognizing Palestinian rights will require a fundamental shift in Israeli society. We suspect that this change will be achieved only via external pressure. The least that one can do in such a situation is not act as if it is business as usual. We see our society becoming more and more calloused and racist and given your longstanding, vocal commitment to justice, we cannot envision you cooperating with continued Israeli defiance of justice and morality; we cannot envision you playing a part in the Israeli charade of self-righteousness. We appeal to you to add your voice to those brave people the world over who boycott Israel. We urge you to cancel your planned performance in Israel.
Who was it that said "If the Palestinians had no weapons there would be no war, but if the Israelis had no weapons, there would be no Israel.
This site is replete with anti-Israel propaganda and as such has no credibility whatsoever.
Who was it that said "If the Palestinians had no weapons there would be no war, but if the Israelis had no weapons, there would be no Israel.
This site is replete with anti-Israel propaganda and as such has no credibility whatsoever.
I don't know what's on the site, but here is very nice example of blatant racism. Are you saying Palestinians, dispossessed, brutalized, tortured, and imprisoned within shrinking ghettoes, are genetically predisposed to hating Israelis? But Israelis who are responsible for all of the above committed against Palestininians are only armed to the teeth, and with nuclear weapons, because they are threatened by these same Palestinians?
Also what is the Palestinian weapon that so threatens Israel? Your racism may not let you see it, but I will tell you. It is their existence. So long as Palestinians exist, they may still claim the land stolen from them. That is the mortal threat to Israel. Not home made rockets or suicide vests, but the very fact a Palestinian people still lives.
You should come to terms with your racism.
Who was it that said "If the Palestinians had no weapons there would be no war, but if the Israelis had no weapons, there would be no Israel.
This site is replete with anti-Israel propaganda and as such has no credibility whatsoever.
Which is bullshit as the issue is not about "weapons", the issue is about JUSTICE.
Israel has enough weapons to ensure it will survive ... it doesn't need to use terrorism and atrocities for "security" ... it uses those tactics to grab land and resources from the Palestinians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut2v62wx2YA&feature=player_embedded
5 part youtuber about children in Gaza post-invasion.
If I was Leonard Cohen, I would probably use the opportunity of a concert in Israel to sing songs about loving one's neighhbour, working to resolve conflict, and living the moral and peaceful tenets of Judaism.
Cohen tried to enlist in the Israeli army during the 1973 Yom Kippur war. This was turned down by the IDF, and instead he was sent on a tour of the frontlines singing for Israeli troops.
If that's the case then expecting him to boycott Israel may be a little unrealistic.
If that's the case then expecting him to boycott Israel may be a little unrealistic.
I think, with Cohen, it is hard to define what might be an actual Zionist belief, and what might be an aesthetic interest in soldiers and their situation. In his music, he has a lot of songs about soldiers, their plight, this is the last night we'll be together, tomorrow we die etc.
On his recent tour in Israel, he did offer to play a concert in Ramallah as well, but the Palestinian BDS movement didn't accept this, and it was canceled. The concert in Israel went ahead.