Amos Oz quietly declines to attend Foreign Ministry events abroad
Oz, generally regarded one of Israel's most famous authors has been an outspoken supporter of a two state solution and has often been critical of extreme right wing government policies.
By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZIUpdated: NOVEMBER 6, 2015 05:12Israeli author Amos Oz(photo credit: REUTERS)
Author and Israel Prize laureate Amos Oz has decided to quietly decline Foreign Ministry invitations to attend formal functions abroad due to the “radicalization” of the government’s policies.“I am often invited by my publishers abroad to take part in the launching of translations of my books.Following the radicalization in the policy of the present government in various areas, I told my hosts abroad that I prefer not to be a guest of honor in events organized for me by Israeli embassies,” he told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.“However, I strongly oppose the BDS [movement] and I strongly oppose the idea of boycotting Israel. My decision is aimed against the government not against my country,” he said.A boycott goes “against everything I believe in,” he added.Oz, one of Israel’s bestknown authors, has been an outspoken supporter of a two-state solution and has often been critical of rightwing government policies.Oz has repeatedly said he believes peace can be reached with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, thus reducing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an Israel-Gaza conflict.TA Foreign Ministry spokesman declined to comment, saying only, “We are not responding in light of the respect we have for Amos Oz.”