BDS activists musically protest Batsheva Dance Company
“Dancers have to take a stand, no excuse for stealing land,” chanted BDS activists.
By YVETTE DEANEUpdated: JULY 11, 2018 17:55Scene from the fantasy film 'Black Panther'The Batsheva Dance Company performs ‘Hora’(photo credit: ASKAF)
Fifty activists held a musical protest against the Batsheva Dance Company's opening night performance at the Joyce Theater in New York. Protesters decried the internationally recognized dance company's role "whitewashing" the Israeli government 's human rights violations."We’re here to let Batsheva, and the Joyce Theater, know that they cannot use art to distract us from Israel’s crimes. While Batsheva performs as part of Israel’s celebration of the establishment of the Israeli state, Palestinians are being killed demanding freedom and basic rights," Jenna Laila from Adalah-NY told her fellow protesters."As the growing global BDS movement turns 13, we renew our commitment, and redouble our efforts to fight for Palestinians’ rights to freedom, justice, and equality," she continued.The Consulate General of Israel in New York is hosting Batsheva’s New York run from July 10 to 22.Counter-protesters from the Jewish Defense League protested in front of the Joyce Theater in support of Batsheva and the Israeli government, holding signs saying “Thank God for Trump.”As the BDS movement is growing world wide, the Israeli government is responding. Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid, for one, has launched a training for Israelis traveling abroad to combat BDS.Lapid writes in his training booklet, “The BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) spreads an unbelievable amount of lies about us, fabricated pictures and fictional witness accounts. The goal is to smear Israel’s name in the world, to isolate us, to turn us into a hated and illegitimate state. We cannot abandon this field.”Herb Keinon contributed reporting.
