The Canadian BDS Coalition sent an Open Letter to the Government of Canada, and the Cities of Vancouver and Montreal, regarding their involvement in the upcoming CanaDanse Festival in Israel.
The Coalition is “comprised of groups in Canada that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel’s system of settler-colonialism, occupation, and apartheid towards the Palestinian people.”
Vancouver activists call out Ballet BC's whitewashing of Israeli war crimes! pic.twitter.com/Ioc2r6nVD4
— BDS Vancouver (@bds_vancouver) December 9, 2018
The petition, mentioned in the letter and addressed to Ballet BC, has garnered over 6,500 signatures and is continuing to grow.
The letter was also made available to the Palestine Chronicle.
Find full text of the letter below ..
Open letter from Canadian BDS Coalition to Government of Canada, Cities of Vancouver and Montreal
We have become aware that you are listed as one of the official sponsors of the CanaDanse Festival, being held in Israel in January 2019. Promotional material on the venue’s website denotes the Government of Canada as a sponsor of the whole Festival while the cities of Vancouver and Montreal are sponsoring one segment respectively. You should be aware that there is an ongoing campaign regarding Ballet BC’s involvement in the Festival, along with the 2 other dance companies, Shay Kuebler-Radical System Art from Vancouver and Le Carré des Lombes/Danièle Desnoyers from Montreal.
Over 5000 people have already signed a petition to Ballet BC asking them to cancel their first-ever performance in Israel and to not help Israel whitewash its crimes against the Palestinian people. There has been coverage on the U.S. website Mondoweiss about this issue and also coverage in Canadian local media.
Marion Kawas: Campaign organizers are calling on Ballet BC (and now the 2 other dance companies as well) to take a stand and not perform in #Israel, which would be a permanent stain on their… https://t.co/GSm8T7KmDC
— USACBI (@USACBI) October 31, 2018
In fact, support is increasing amongst the Canadian public for sanctions against the state of Israel until it complies with international law, despite the efforts of the political establishment to suppress such information. A recent EKOS survey found that seventy-eight percent of Canadians said they believe the Palestinians’ call for a boycott is “reasonable”, and two-thirds (66%) of respondents viewed government sanctions specifically on Israel as “reasonable.”
It is shocking that various levels of government, federal and municipal, including the Cities of Vancouver and Montreal, felt compelled to not only lend their names to this Festival, but we assume funding as well.
Although Ballet BC and the other two dance companies will be welcomed by Israeli authorities to perform there, you should be aware that Palestinian cultural figures, artists and writers are routinely denied entry to their own homeland. One recent case is that of Susan Abulhawa, prominent Palestinian author who was detained and deported by Israel on November 1, 2018, on her way to a literary festival. Cultural exchanges that are predicated on silencing certain voices do not serve the values Ballet BC (and presumably your government) claim to uphold:
“Ballet BC serves as a cultural ambassador, inspires diverse communities through dance and promotes inclusion in and through all that we do.”
Ballet BC, don't dance on the ruins of Palestinian childhood – https://t.co/st1vEeIe5C #Palestine #BDS #Vancouver pic.twitter.com/5n0KfXbtbm
— al whit (@soitiz) October 31, 2018
There is no inclusion for most indigenous Palestinians, who cannot even visit their homeland, let alone return to live there.
The Canadian Ambassador to Israel, Deborah Lyons, has already used the CanaDanse Festival to state: “Canada and Israel are truly best of friends”; we are sure more euphemisms will follow during and after the performances to help cover up the horrors of what the Israeli state is doing to the Palestinian people. This is the essence of art-washing and this is why an increasing number of global artists are saying that they will not perform in Israel until it complies with international law and respects the rights of the Palestinian people.
Your shameful position does not represent us or our constituent groups and we are appalled that you speak in our names and use taxpayers’ money to promote the suppression and dispossession of an entire people. We call on you to immediately withdraw your government sponsorship and cancel your participation in this Festival, which will only be used by the Israeli government to obscure the injustices happening right now to the Palestinian people.
Otherwise, history will not look kindly on your actions.
The Canadian BDS Coalition
December 18, 2018
