Gil Scott Heron – Don’t go to Israel

Women of Colour – UK, US, Palestine – say – Don’t lend credibility to Apartheid!

Millions of us grew up with Gil Scott Heron’s inspiring poetry and music that voiced our struggles against racism, sexism, apartheid and other injustice. “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” is still iconic. Irish film-makers took the title for their film documenting how the people of Venezuela reversed the coup against President Chavez and their revolution.

Given Scott Heron’s earlier commitments to the anti-racist movement, including a principled refusal to play Sun City during the struggle against South African apartheid, we are deeply shocked that he has agreed to play in Tel Aviv. As an anti-apartheid champion of the 80s who lived through brutal segregation and racist lynchings in the US, and was imprisoned, Scott-Heron’s lack of compassion for Palestine is inexplicable.

The Palestinian people have been dispossessed and their lands occupied, they have been walled in, imprisoned, starved and bombed by Israel. Women and girls have been raped, and children shot in their schools. Archbishop Desmond Tutu has described apartheid in Palestine as even worse than that in South Africa.

Palestinian people have called us to support their resistance to genocide, including the boycott of goods, culture, education -- everything empowering the Israeli state. The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) has forwarded us the Open Letter from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) which we recommend.

Gil Scott Heron’s 25 May performance will break the international boycott of Israel, at a time when support for Palestine has never been greater or more vital for anti-racists.

Why is he turning his back on the suffering and struggle of the Palestinian people, and giving credibility to Israel, a modern apartheid State? Please help get the message to Gil Scott-Heron:

Gil, don’t go—Women of Colour Say No!
Don’t support the racist state of Israel! Don´t support genocide!

email: Women of Colour in the Global Women’s Strike
Tel +44 (0) 207 482 2496, Fax: +44 (0) 207 209 4761