Artists give legitimacy to settler enterprize

Artists give legitimacy to West Bank settler enterprize

Press Release, March 26, 2010

Assaf Amdursky, Ivri Lider, Barry Sakharov, Shalom Hanoch, Arkadi Duchin and "The Friends of Natasha" are due to perform at the Mitzpe Shalem Settlement near the factory of the "Ahava" Company. Gush Shalom: "It is shameful that artists, for monetary gain, give legitimacy to a settler enterprize"

"For monetary gain, well-known artists have agreed to participate in a festival due to be held at the Mitzpe Shalem settlement in the northern part of the Dead Sea, near the factory of the 'Ahava' Company which exploits natural resources of an Occupied Territory in violation of International Law," says Gush Shalom, the Israeli Peace Bloc.

In a letter sent to Ivri Lider, Barry Sakharov, Shalom Hanoch, Arkadi Duchin and "The Friends of Natasha" band, the movement calls upon the artists to cancel their participation. The Ahava Dead Sea Festival is due to take place 1-3 April, during the Passover holyday, and organized by the "Ahava" Company along with the Settler Regional Council "Megilot".

"You should realize that participation in this festival is taking a clear political stance on the most controversial issue which is debated between Israel and the international community, and tearing up the Israeli society itself, in the past 43 years" wrote Gush Shalom spokesperson Adam Keller to the artists. "The Northern Dead Sea is an Occupied Territory, where International Law forbids Israel to build civilian settlements or exploit natural resources for commercial purposes. In the Oslo Agreement, Israel undertook to grant the Palestinian Authority access to the Northern Dead Sea, more than ten years ago - but this obligation was flagrantly violated.

All over the world demonstrations and protests are now held against the sale of 'Ahava' cosmetics' , with European and American women carrying protest signs reading 'I don’t buy these products, this beauty is stolen'. Do not let the Ahava company, whose name means 'love' but whose acts are the opposite, abuse your good name in the world of Israeli culture and get an ineradicable badge of infamy."

ENDS

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