Grup pel BDS Catalonia (BDS Group Catalonia)

Enrique Iglesias, dont sing for the Israeli apartheid!

Dear Enrique Iglesias, This letter has been signed by civil society groups and organisations from different parts of the world that support the campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. We were saddened to hear that you plan to give a concert in Israel on 30 May. You may not be aware of the serious breaches of International Law and violations of Human Rights made by Israel against the Palestinian population over the last 63 years. The following are just a few of them: In 1948-1949 the budding Jewish state implemented a policy of ethnic cleansing that converted more than 750,000 Palestinians into refugees. There are now almost 5 million refugees surviving in difficult conditions in refugee camps all over the Middle East. In spite of the stipulations of International Law, Israel does not recognise their right to return to their lands Since 1967, Israel has illegally installed more than 500,000 Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, on land stolen from the Palestinian population. These settlers are protected by the powerful Israeli army and benefit from the same apartheid system that imposes extremely harsh living conditions on the Palestinian population in all aspects of their life Since 2002, Israel has been building a separation Wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory (in the West Bank and East Jerusalem). The Wall was declared illegal in 2004 in a report by the International Court of Justice. It has a disastrous impact on the daily life of thousands of Palestinian men and women, because it impedes access to health care, housing, education and work, all of which are basic Human Rights Since 2007, Israel has imposed a cruel economic blockade on the 1.6 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip. Amnesty International has declared on countless occasions that the blockade of Gaza is illegal and has pushed its population into unemployment, poverty and dependency on aid agencies for survival In 2008-2009, Israel attacked the Gaza strip committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. More than 1,400 inhabitants of Gaza died during the attack. Most of them were civilians. The details of the attack can be found in the report drawn up by the South African judge Richard Goldstone in 2009 for the UN The Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel have the misfortune to be non-Jewish citizens in a Jewish state. They suffer from structural legal discrimination; more than 30 laws discriminate against them in favour of the Jewish citizens of Israel

In 2005, more than 170 Palestinian civil society organisations called for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel to be maintained until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian peoples inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by: Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194

You may think that your songs, which convey peace and love, should reach all corners of the world, including Israel, and should not be mixed up with politics. Unfortunately, giving a concert in Israel is not a neutral act; it will be used by the Israeli government to legitimise the illegal policies implemented against the Palestinian population and will be understood in this way by millions of citizens across the world. Last April, when the young singer Justin Bieber

gave a concert in Israel, President Benyamin Netanyahu tried desperately to use his presence to improve the image of the decadent Israeli government. When Bieber refused to attend a meeting with children living in areas targeted by Qassam rockets, Netanyahu cancelled his own meeting with the singer. Bieber only wanted to sing, and had intended to avoid any involvement in politics but this turned out to be impossible. The same thing will happen to you if you give a concert in Israel. The following artists have recently cancelled their performances in Israel in response to the call for a BDS campaign: Devendra Banhart, Tommy Sands, Elvis Costello, Carlos Santana, Gil Scott Heron, the Pixies, Gorillaz Sound System, Vanessa Paradis, La Carrau and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. An academic and cultural boycott is an effective way of putting pressure on Israel and has a real chance of obtaining a change in the policies that contravene International Law. This was made clear in the case of the South-African apartheid. For all of the reasons given in this letter we urge you to cancel your concert in Israel. As an outstanding and respected international figure in the world of music you can contribute to obtaining freedom, justice and a just peace in Palestine. Please dont sing for the Israeli apartheid!

Best regards, Signed: Europe Grup BDS Catalunya Comunitat Palestina de Catalunya Associaci Catalana de Jueus i Palestins - JUNTS Comissi Universitria Catalana per Palestina (CUNCAP) Xarxa d'Enlla amb Palestina Intersindical Alternativa de Catalunya BDS Madrid BDS Galiza Euskal Herria Palestina Sarea Red Solidaria contra la Ocupacin de Palestina (RESCOP) - Spain Plataforma para el Boicot Acadmico a Israel (PBAI) - Spain IJAN-Red de Judos Antisionistas en Espaa - Spain Artefacto Cultural - Brazil/Spain European Platform for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (EPACBI) - Europe Comit de Solidariedade com a Palestina - Portugal Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign - Scotland British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP) - United Kingdom Boycott Israel Network (BIN) - United Kingdom Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods (J-BIG) - United Kingdom Women in Black (Vienna) - Austria Critical Jewish Voice - Austria Utrecht for Palestine - Netherlands Dutch Bathrobes Brigades - Netherlands Dutch network "Samenwerken voor Palestina" (29 organizations) - Netherlands EuroPalestine - France Association des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (AURDIP) France BDS Switzerland - Switzerland Belgium Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (BACBI) - Belgium Gnration Palestine - Belgium Berlin Academic Boycott - Germany BDS Group Berlin - Germany

Middle East and Asia Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott against Israel (PACBI) - Palestine BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within - Israel Alternative Information Center (AIC) - Palestine/Israel Palestinian Students' Campaign for the Academic Boycott of Israel (PSCABI) - Palestine Palestine Peace Soridarity at Seoul - South Korea Amrica U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI) - United States Artists United Against Apartheid - United States The Canadian Arab Federation - Canada Federacin de Entidades Argentino-Palestinas - Argentina Foro Itinerante de Participacin Popular - Venezuela Comit Solidaridad con Palestina - Costa Rica Union de estudiantes palestinos de Colombia - Colombia Fundacin Encuentro Colombo-rabe Barranquilla - Colombia Unin de Internacionalistas con Palestina - Colombia Unin General de Estudiantes Palestinos - Chile Coordinadora para el Boicot a Israel - Chile Centro Cultural Mundo rabe de Iquique - Chile Juventud Por Palestina de Iquique - Chile Deportivo Palestino Iquique - Chile Dabke Infantil Al Hayat - Chile Dabke y Danza rabe Al Helm Al Arabi - Chile Juventud Unin rabe de Antofagasta - Chile Juventud rabe Valparaso y Via del Mar - Chile Asociacin de Jovenes Unidos por Palestina (Santiago) - Chile Juventud rabe de Chillan - Chile Juventud rabe de Concepcin - Chile Juventud rabe de Temuco - Chile Juventud rabe por Palestina de Valdivia - Chile frica BDS Working Group - South Africa South African Artists against Apartheid - South Africa Internacional International Solidarity Movement (ISM)