A call for international human rights defenders to come to Palestine, mid May (May 13 – May 19th) 2019, to support the cultural boycott of the Eurovision Singing Contest in Tel Aviv.
The Situation
Whilst the colonization forces prepare historical Palestine for the upcoming Eurovision singing contest, the stage is also being set for further oppression and genocide of the Palestinian people.
In the recent months Israel has escalated it’s bombing campaigns in Gaza and executions and harassment of Palestinians in the West Bank.
In this atmosphere of death, Israeli officials force millions of Palestinians to live in squalid, oppressive conditions, and Palestinian civil society cries out for a total boycott of Israeli products, institutions and cultural bodies, absurdly, a singing contest will bring tens of thousands of visitors to Tel Aviv.
Soon, Israeli customs will face packs of tourists as the international community floods in to attend the Eurovision, and participate in the farce, If they can get through Israeli customs, that is. Human rights activists who try to enter historic Palestine are usually subjected to harassment and abuse and are often refused entry. There are too many things Israel does not want them to witness document and show the world.
Your Role – if you are able to enter Palestine
As someone coming to Palestine to work in solidarity with the popular non violent struggle to end the occupation, your work will involve monitoring and intervening in human rights abuses against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, reporting on incidents of settler and military violence perpetrated against Palestinians, resisting land annexation and home demolitions, attending demonstrations and responding to needs and requests as they arise.
Your Role – If you are denied entry
Israeli Apartheid governments have consistently interrogated, harassed, denied entry, black-listed, and forcibly deported would-be human rights monitors making it impossible for them to witness and expose Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people. These deportation attempts can be resisted and challenged in Israeli courts.
Having international human rights defenders in detention and/or going through the court system during the Eurovision song contest is an opportunity to draw attention to the host’s war crimes and crimes against humanity, reminding the world that Israel has much to hide.
Contact us prior to your journey and we will do our best to provide legal support in this event.
We ask that you answer the call to come and bear witness, to support the Palestinian campaign for boycott divest and sanctions, to intervene, to act.
For more information, contact us at ismtraining@riseup.net
~The International Solidarity Movement (ISM)
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