Yehoshua, Oz, Grossman back boycott of Ariel
Prominent authors back actors' refusal to perform beyond Green Line. 'If settlers refuse to evacuate, they can stay and become Palestinian citizens,' Yehoshua says
Ynet learned on Monday that prominent Israeli authors A. B. Yehoshua, Amos Oz, David Grossman and Sami Michael are supporting a long line of actors, playwrights and artists who announced they would refuse to perform in the new culture auditorium in Ariel, which is located outside the Green Line.
"The show does not have to go on," read a letter drafted by the authors. "We, the signatories, express our support for the people of the theater who refuse to perform in Ariel. The Israeli occupation has recently entered its 43rd year. Legitimizing the settlement enterprise and coming to terms with it severely harm Israel's chances of reaching a peace agreement with its Palestinian neighbors."
The letter was also signed by sculptor Danny Caravan, an Israel Prize laureate, as well as other artists and actors.
Yehoshua told Ynet, "I support them (members of the performing arts) because they are protesting against a location, not against people. (Ariel) is a disputed place that does not belong to the State of Israel and may be evacuated soon.
"A strange phenomenon exists in Israel. On the one hand, there is the acceptance of dovish principles, such as two states for two peoples, but on the other hand, anti-Arab sentiments are very strong. Just look at Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's remarks. These are expressions of hatred," said the author.
"The fear of evacuating settlements is preventing peace. Maybe, just as we have an Arab minority within our midst, they (settlers) can remain as a Jewish minority among the Arabs. They can become Palestinian citizens if they do not want to evacuate."
Also on Monday, some 150 leftists and artists rallied outside the Habima Theater in Tel Aviv under the banner, "It is not civilized to perform in the territories".
Knesset members Dov Khenin (Hadash), Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) and Chaim Oron (Meretz) also took part in the rally, which was organized by Peace Now.
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