live there because its their homeland not because of any other reason. That is why Jews are in Hevron the city of our forefathers and foremothers. Your misunderstanding that we are there to prevent a fictitious and terroristic state of so-called (from 1964 on) palestinians is dumbfounding; we existed almost 4000 years before arafats and hamas' charter. we are here because this is our nations homeland, always has been , always will be. Let the colonialising arabs who are also anti Israel go back to arabia, if they dont like it. perhaps you can perform a poetry reading about homosexuality, womens rights, minorities rights to them in a hookah bar in mecca. see how that goes, hypocrite.

It's Culture Too .

"The settlements were established in order to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state..." If that's what you believe to be the truth, then you are ignorant of Judaism and Jewish history.

A country ceases to exist if it loses it's Language, Culture and Boarders. This is what is currently happening in Britain ( Muslims riot on Armistice Day ) and will certainly happen in the U.S. as illegal Hispanics breach our boarders, fail to learn our language and care not for our culture. In addition the illegals and Muslims use our laws against us and it is all ok due to political correctness fostered by eleitist politicians.

"radicals exist everywhere" - The settlers of the Golan are hardly "radicals" (most of them voted for Rabin, Barak, and Kadima), and neither is the idea that the Golan must stay an Israeli territory. We are not there for some far-fetched biblical ideology, we did not seize land from any native people who lived there, but won it fair and square from Syria, after they tried to annihilate us. The importance of the Golan is paramount from so many aspects. And if you preach to uproot people from their homes, don't be surprised you are not welcome there. "The authorities are attempting to silence voices of criticism and doubt in academia and in textbooks" - Really? Where? When? "The theater artists who declared a boycott on Ariel are playing into the hands of aggressive rightists", "Zealotry on our part would only provoke and encourage reckless zealotry on the other side" - 90% of Israelis who oppose the idea of discriminating against their own people, cannot be all classified as "aggressive rightists" or "zealots".

the first settelment was put as to make the state of israil .. and evry one is put fore the same cause .israil was initiated fore jews not for judism .. ..sure time changed evry thing ..it was a thought in my head from childhood .. it was about yaman once it was a big kingdoom with a great queen ... this thought arises today when i see a program about mangolia how it is poor and weak it was the land of hinkeezkhan and his grandson holacko ... god say .. arent youwandering to see the destructive villeges after their powerfull and rich ... i think time cange the history and iam sorry to say it change the understanding of religion .any religion is asking for justice and mercy ..but how it is now ????

I am sure that your intention was to write an article showing that your position is a position of respect and brotherhood with other Israelis. However, what you read is plain disrespect for people who don't think like you, even denying their ideologue and most important calling them the enemy. Do you understand that you are simply so much in need of believing in your theory about how peace can be built that you are changing your brothers, Israelis like you, not better not worst int "the enemy"? You prefer to separate from half of the Israeli people in the name of your faith in future reactions of people who TODAY are declaring that they don't want you here! Please think again! My kids serve in the army probably with yours, we are ONE people, artists are not a better class, they are the same, they should spread love and not hate!

Settlements in the WB, Gaza and the Golan are illegal according to international law. I realize they exist for many years but do we have a state that abides by laws or are we a state that does what it wants when it wants. that is the bigger issue.

The settlers are definitely not. Those who steal other people's land are not cultured by any measure!

is this another socialistic slogan? like, is everybody really "entitled to have work?" There is nothing like this. You think, as me, that settlements are made to prevent the establishment of Palestinian state. It is true that the Israeli governments have encouraged people to move there. But are all those people little kids? They know pretty well where they decide to live. With settlements there should be no "business as usual". You are right that too loud boycotting is counterproductive. But don't say that those guys have some given right to plays in theaters. Just disconnect from them.

Israel’s seasoned democracy is the legitimate institution to conceive projects, including cultural projects like Ariel’s. A minority, corrupting the privileges of its cultural standing and the resources this democracy grants it, tries to dictate arbitrarily chosen terms outside the democratic process. As a collateral, they delegitimize, from within, Israel and her democracy and, with their “superior” evaluation, do boycott their own people because it has a different, democratically materialized opinion. Kol HaKavod to Ms. Limor Livnat for standing up for Israel’s democracy and existence.