Due to the complicity of Israeli cultural institutions, in July 2004 the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) issued a statement of principles urging “colleagues in the international community to comprehensively and consistently boycott all Israeli academic and cultural institutions as a contribution to the struggle to end Israel's occupation, colonization and system of apartheid” (emphasis in the original).The statement identified the elements of the boycott:

• Refrain from participation in any form of academic and cultural cooperation, collaboration or joint projects with Israeli institutions;

• Advocate a comprehensive boycott of Israeli institutions at the national and international levels, including suspension of all forms of funding and subsidies to these institutions;


• Promote divestment and disinvestment from Israel by international academic institutions;

• Work toward the condemnation of Israeli policies by pressing for resolutions to be adopted by academic, professional and cultural associations and organizations;


• Support Palestinian academic and cultural institutions directly without requiring them to partner with Israeli counterparts as an explicit or implicit condition for such support.

The statement of principles was signed by nearly 60 Palestinian civil society organizations, including cultural institutions such as the Palestinian Writers' Federation, the Palestinian League of Artists, and the Palestinian Journalists' Federation.