Cultural Boycott

Tamar-kali with her band and special guest Sonny Singh at "Palestine Calling"
Brooklyn vocalist and composer Tamar-kali with her band and special guest Sonny Singh at our "Palestine Calling" event on November 14th, 2015.

Press Coverage

Haaretz

Dave Eggers, Alice Walker Among Literary Figures Calling for Israel to Free Palestinian Poet

Abstract: 

More than 150 literary figures, including nine Pulitzer Prize winners, are calling for Israel to free an Israeli-Arab poet charged with inciting violence through social media.

The open letter announced Tuesday in support of Dareen Tatour, who has been under house arrest since October, was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and Adalah-NY (The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel). Authors Alice Walker, Claudia Rankine and Dave Eggers were among those who signed on in asserting “poetry is not a crime.”

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Press Coverage

Hyperallergic

Artists and Authors Call on Israel to Release Palestinian Poet

Abstract: 

Over 150 literary figures are calling for the release of Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour, who since last year has faced charges in Israel for sharing her poetry on Facebook and on YouTube. Now under house arrest, Tatour will undergo scheduled hearings through September, when she may receive additional prison time if convicted then, according to Jewish Voice for Peace. The national grassroots organization published the open letter yesterday, signed by prominent names including Alice Walker, Susan Abulhawa, Dave Eggers, Molly Crabapple, and Naomi Shihab Nye.

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Press Coverage

The Electronic Intifada

Pulitzer Prize winners urge release of Palestinian poet

Abstract: 

Major literary figures are among more than 150 writers urging Israel to release Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour, who has been under house arrest since January for a poem she wrote.

They include such renowned international novelists, playwrights and poets as Alice Walker, Edwidge Danticat, Eve Ensler, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Fady Joudah, Tayari Jones, Dale Peck, Russell Banks, Jorie Graham and Dave Eggers.

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Press Release

Poetry Is Not a Crime: Nine Pulitzer-Winners Among 150+ Literary Figures Calling for Israel To Release Palestinian Poet

Alice Walker, Claudia Rankine, Dave Eggers, Natasha Trethewey & hundreds of others join solidarity campaign for Dareen Tatour imprisoned for a poem


 

July 12, 2016–Over 150 renowned writers, poets, translators, artists and literary figures signed an open letter in solidarity with Palestinian poet Dareen Tatour. Susan Abulhawa, Rae Armantrout, Carl Dennis, Dave Eggers, Carolyn Forché, Jorie Graham, Naomi Klein, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Naomi Shihab Nye, Claudia Rankine, Tracy K Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Ayelet Waldman, Alice Walker and Jacqueline Woodson were among the award-winning literary figures who joined the call for the immediate release of the Palestinian poet who was imprisoned for her poetry. (Full list of signers here).

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Press Coverage

AlterNet

Why Does PEN American Center Reject the BDS Call to Refuse Israeli Gov’t Funding But Support Boycotts Elsewhere?

Abstract: 

Israeli government threats against the well-being and freedom of expression of Palestinian civil society leaders who organize for a boycott of Israel have pre-occupied human rights organizations and made headlines in recent weeks. Simultaneously, the Israeli government is escalating attacks on Palestinian writers. It is currently detaining 19 journalists and a poet.

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Press Coverage

Mondoweiss

PEN urges boycott of Azerbaijan over political prisoners while it blocks boycott of Israel

Abstract: 

Here’s an important story about the liberal establishment’s hypocrisy on Israeli human rights abuses.

This past week the writers’ organization PEN held its World Voices Festival in New York and one of its sponsors/”champions” was the Israeli government. More than 200 writers had urged PEN to give back that money, among them Marilyn Hacker, Junot Diaz, Alice Walker and Richard Ford, citing Israel’s “decades-long denial of basic rights to the Palestinian people, including the frequent targeting of Palestinian writers and journalistsrecord on Palestinian writers.”

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