We understand the economic boycott. Money talks, after all. No regime is likely to change until it is forced to, and that often means affecting the bottom line. But an educational and cultural boycott? Many feel that the arts shouldn’t be part of the worldwide BDS campaign against Israel, because intellectual exchange is important and it alienates those working inside Israel for change. But as RIHAM BARGHOUTI shows, art and politics cannot be separated in Palestine, and trying to pretend that cultural exchanges with Israel could ever be acceptable is simply ludicrous.