Portuguese photographers determined to boycott Israel

Palestine

Published: 2017-08-21 12:18

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 07:44


Portuguese photographers determined to boycott Israel
Portuguese photographers determined to boycott Israel


On world photography day (19 August), over 40 Portuguese photographers and photography students pledged to boycott Israel.

The pledge comes in the form of rejecting professional invitations and finance from Israel, and by refusing to collaborate with Israeli cultural institutions.

Israeli cultural boycott is not a new practice.

Although the Portuguese pledge is the first of its kind, according to the BDS official website, it follows similar cultural boycotts by artists from the US, Canada, South Africa, UK, Switzerland and France.

Portuguese photographers have pledged to boycott Israel “until it complies with international law and respect the human rights of Palestinians,” according to a statement by the BDS movement.
Culture boycotting has been taking place since 2006, when Palestinian artists and filmmakers first called for Israeli cultural boycott, by appealing to worldwide filmmakers and artists to cancel exhibitions and cultural events that are scheduled to take place in Israel.
The BDS movement was founded in 2005 by Palestinian civil society, to secure Palestinian rights in accordance with international law.
BDS activists continuously encourage their supporters to avoid buying Israeli products, in order to “put pressure on the Israeli government and end the occupation,” according to the BDS official website.