Palestinian artists issue anti-apartheid letter, sparking international boycott campaign against Israeli institutions

A group of Palestinian artists has denounced Israeli actions as a form of apartheid, referencing incidents of violence in Jerusalem, Lydda, Haifa, Jaffa, and Sheikh Jarrah. They are advocating for global artistic support in the pursuit of Palestinian decolonization. Among the signatories are Rosalind Nashashibi, Ruanne Abou-Rahme, Shadi Habiballah, and Selma Dabbagh, with backing from international figures like Cecilia Vicuna, Jimmie Durham, Amalia Ulman, Coco Fusco, Emory Douglas, and curator Adam Szymczyk. Additionally, British artists have initiated the #VisualArtsforPalestine campaign, promoting boycotts of Israeli cultural entities, with endorsements from Turner Prize laureates Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo, and Tai Shani. The campaign specifically targets the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and over thirty other Israeli institutions, accusing them of facilitating murder, intimidation, and violent dispossession.