Liev Schreiber, Mayim Bialik and Debra Messing are among over 1,200 entertainment industry names that have signed a new open letter denounced the call for a boycott of Israeli film agencies in the war in Gaza.
Released Thursday by the Creative Community, a nonprofit for Peace and Brigade, the letter urges nearly 4,000 signatories of boycott pledges, including Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix, to rethink their stance. Other stars who name the new open letter include Gene Simmons, Sharon Osborne, Greg Berlanti, Jerry O’Connell, Howie Mandel, Jennifer Jason Lee, Lisa Edelstein, Erin Foster, Anthony Edwards, Rebecca De Morne, Shelley Lansing and Heimsavan.
“We know the power of film. We know the power of stories. So, when the story turns into weapons, the lies dress justly, and when the artist is wrong in amplifying anti-Semitism propaganda,” the letter begins. “The pledge that circulated under the flag of Palestinian film workers is not an act of conscience. It is a misinformed document defending arbitrary intentional censorship and the erasure of art. Censoring voices seeking to find common positions and express humanity is wrong, comprehensive and a form of collective punishment.”
As the letter points out, despite the call for boycotts, many of the country’s left-leaning film and television industry faced the Israeli government on their own responsibility. Last week, the film “The Sea” tells the story of a young Palestinian boy who risks his life to go to the beach in Tel Aviv. As a result, Israel’s Minister of Sports and Culture vows to cut funds from the awards.
“When artists boycott fellow artists based solely on the country they come from, it’s blatant discrimination and betrayal of our role as storytellers,” Messing said in a statement. “History shows that boycotting Jews has long been a tool for the authoritarian regime. By participating in this effort, these artists are willingly or unaware of the dark legacy of anti-Semitism.”
Bialik added: “Artists and creatives have unique opportunities and responsibilities to remind us of our shared humanity. We boycott filmmakers, studios, production companies and individuals simply because they are the fuel sector of Israel and contribute to a culture of alienation.
The new open letter also comes shortly after Paramount, who condemned the boycott call in a September 12 statement. “Silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not provide a better understanding or advancement of the causes of peace,” the statement continued. “The global entertainment industry needs to encourage artists to tell their stories and share ideas with audiences around the world. We need more engagement and communication.
Read the full open letter below and see all the signatories here.
To our fellow artists and the global film community,
We know the power of film. We know the power of stories. That’s why we can’t remain silent when the story turns into weapons, when the lies dress justly, and when the artist is misled by the amplification of anti-Semitic propaganda.
The pledge that circulated under the banner of “Palestinian film workers” is not an act of conscience. This is a misinformed document defending arbitrary censorship and art erasure.
Censoring voices trying to find common ground and express humanity is wrong, ineffective, and a form of collective punishment.
Israel’s film industry includes groundbreaking, celebrations and important projects on the Palestinians and Jews. The Israeli film community is restless, debateful, independent, and consistently programmed against many of the very festivals the director has targeted by the Minister and you.
The Israeli entertainment industry is a vibrant hub of collaboration between Jews and Palestinian artists and creatives, working together to tell complex stories that entertain and inform both the community and the world every day. Israeli film institutions are not government agencies. They are often the loudest critics of government policy.
The pledge uses ambiguous terms such as “implication” and “addictiveness.” Who will determine whether Israeli filmmakers and film institutions are “accomplicity”? McCarthyist Commission with a Blacklist? Or is “co-complaint” just an excuse to boycott all Israelis and Zionists (95% of the world’s Jewish population)?
History warns us. Censorship has been used to silence previous filmmakers: Nazi German propaganda machines, Soviet censorship, and even Hollywood’s own blacklist. It was decorated as a virtue every time. And it was oppression every time. Each time, the target was expanded.
We know that many of you have good intentions and we believe you are standing for peace. But your name has been weaponized and linked to lies and discrimination. This pledge opposes Israel’s voice, justifies falsehood and protects Hamas from condemnation.
If peace is needed, ask for immediate release of the remaining hostages. Support filmmakers who create dialogues across the community. Stand up to Hamas.
Let Art tell the whole truth.
We call on all our colleagues in the entertainment industry to reject this discriminatory, anti-Semitic boycott call that only adds another obstacle to the path to peace.
