Livnat: Enlightened Left silencing others
Culture minister strongly criticizes attempt to call off performance at Ariel cultural hall. 'While the world boycotts us but doesn't see it fit to resist Iran or Syria, Israeli actors and artists are campaigning to boycott law-abiding Israeli citizens,' she charges
"I just read that once again there is an attempt for an organized boycott of Ariel and its residents (including many seculars, religious, many immigrants from the former Soviet Union, native Israelis – a mosaic of the State's residents) by a group of actors," Livnat wrote on her Facebook page.
"No lesson has been learned. While universities and lecturers around the world are boycotting the academia in the State of Israel over violations to human rights, but don’t see it fit to raise their voices or, God forbid, boycott blood regimes like in Syria or dictatorial regimes (if you haven't noticed, there are a few of those in the region), and perhaps the almost nuclear threshold Iran, which is threatening to destroy us – well, these days, Israeli actors and artists are waging a campaign to boycott law-abiding Israeli citizens, which have not invaded anywhere."
Livnat noted that the city of Ariel was founded even before the political change of 1977, and mentioned Haifa University's decision not to award Prof. Robert Aumann with an honorary doctorate due to his political opinions. She went on to slam the Left's approach, which she said is reflected in these two cases.
"It will be very interesting to see what happens in a moment, when they read my criticism here – the cries of despair we will hear! After all, the freedom of expression and speech, according to some leftists, belongs only to them. It's sad."
As first reported by Ynet, in the past month dozens of actors received personal letters signed by 30 theater artists, calling on them to refuse to perform in the cultural halls of Ariel and Kiryat Arba.
Following the appeal, the entire cast of "Best Friends," which is scheduled to perform in Ariel in mid January, turned to the Cameri Theater management and asked not to perform in the settlement. The theater rejected the request, claiming that the actresses did not inform the management in advance of their objection to perform in the city.
