[Boycott - Cultural]

Small step towards a boycott of Israel

Iain Banks, letter to The Guardian
3 June 2010

Following the murderous attack on the Gaza-bound convoy, is it not time to revisit the idea of a full cultural and educational boycott of Israel (Report, 2 June)? The sports boycott of apartheid South Africa hit the Afrikaners where, arguably, they felt it most and helped them understand precisely how despicable their regime's policies were held to be by the rest of the world.

I've told my agent to turn down any further book translation deals with Israeli publishers. I would urge all writers, artists and others in the creative arts, as well as those academics engaging in joint educational projects with Israeli institutions, to consider doing everything they can to convince Israel of its moral degradation and ethical isolation, preferably by simply having nothing more to do with this outlaw state.

Lain Banks
Scottish Writer

Iain Banks

North Queensferry, Fife

Lain Banks is a renowned Scottish writer with over 20 published novels (both literary fiction and science fiction), The Times named him in their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

Divide grows over Israel and Gaza

letters to The Guardian
4 June 2010

We applaud Iain Banks's decision to refuse book translation deals with Israeli publishers (Letters, 3 June). The mentality behind Israel's tortuous attempts to justify nine murders and many injuries on the Mavi Marmara was exposed for all to see outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington on Wednesday night.

Waving Israeli flags, bringing shame upon the Star of David that it carries, supporters of the Zionist Federation lined up alongside fascist hooligans from the English Defence League to praise the commando killers and damn the dead and injured. Like the rapist seeking justification for his crimes, Zionism blames its victims for "provocation".

Although we know that Palestinians who protest against Israel's apartheid system may face death at any moment, we did not at first believe reports of international activists being killed bringing aid to Gaza. It is now clear that their deaths fit the general pattern of Israel's contempt for human life, for international law and for world opinion.

This is unacceptable to us as Jews true to our traditional respect for equality and justice for all. A just peace for Israelis and Palestinians must begin with Israel ending its siege of Gaza, its illegal occupation and settlement of Palestinian land, its discrimination against non-Jewish citizens and its denial of the right of return to the hundreds of thousands it has expelled.

We have seen proof this week that Israel will not yield unless an international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions obliges it to do so.

Ruth Clark,
Mike Cushman,
Deborah Fink,
Sylvia Finzi,
Tony Greenstein,
Selma James,
Michael Kalmanovitz,
Michael Kendall,
Leah Levane,
Rachel Lever,
Bruce Levy,
Beryl Maizels,
Miriam Margolyes,
Martine Miel,
Simon Pirani,
Roland Rance,
Alexei Sayle,
Inbar Tamari,
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi,
Ben Young

I agree with Iain Banks that it is time to revisit the idea of a full cultural and educational boycott of Israel. For over 15 years now I have made my protests at the behaviour of that repugnant regime by declining all request to referee scientific manuscripts from universities in Israel; I have refused to assess any grant application coming from Israeli or from Israeli/American grant-giving bodies; and on one occasion I turned down a request to adjudicate in the promotion of an Israeli scientist. In every case I have informed the journal editors, grant-giving bodies, and in the latter case the university in question, of my reasons. In like vein, my wife refuses to buy any foods at the local supermarket coming from Israel, and I hope many like-minded Guardian readers will do the same. I also hope that as many people as possible write to the chairman of each major supermarket asking that their companies do not buy from Israel.

Just so no one thinks I am just opposed to Israel, I have also made a stand against Libya. After the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984, I turned down all requests from Libyan postgraduates wishing to study in my department. I told them I would change my stance when the murderers had been brought to justice.

Professor Anthony Milton

Whaddon, Cambridgeshire

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/04/divide-over-israel-and-gaza

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