As artists we value art, performance, and theater. As activists, we will use our art forms to demonstrate thatsilence is complicity. We will call the Batsheva Dance Company on their support of their government’s oppression of the Palestinian people. In 2005, OHAD NAHARIN, Batsheva’s current director said “I continue to do my work, while 20 km from me people are participating in war crimes… the ability to detach oneself from the situation, that is what allows one to go on.”

The Batsheva dance company is not as “detached” from the Israeli army crimes as it claims to be. Several of Batsheva's members are serving Israeli reservist soldiers. An atypically high number of reservist units in the Israeli army were deployed in the Gaza Strip--where an indisputable slaughter was carried out, with terrible stories published even in mainstream sources. Also, this Company is funded by the Israeli government and is considered a “leading ambassador” of the Israeli government, by the Israeli government.

No artist can “detach” himself from war crimes committed by his people or in their name. True artists use their art and performance to defend human rights and stand against war crimes. That’s what Bono and Miles Davis did for South Africa. That’s what Invincible has been doing throughout her career, and will do on Thursday evening when she will join our gathering to protest Batsheva’s complicity in the oppression of the Palestinian people.

Come watch and learn Dabke, check out Invincible's new song, sing anti-apartheid songs, and join us in protest and for arts in the name of freedom!

Co-sponsored by Anti-Zionist Jewish activists in NY.

** This event is part of the 5th Israeli Apartheid Week in New York City. For more information, check:http://newyork.apartheidweek.org .