Daniel Lubetzky

When Palestinian and Arab artists who are friends of the OneVoice Movement advise us that extremists are calling to intimidate them and threaten them to boycott the OneVoice Summit, if we publish this, the extremists will only redouble their efforts.

The fact is – and this is 100% the case – that all Palestinian and Arab artists that I have ever talked to, privately tell me how angered they are at the extremists and radicals that are pushing them and attacking them and intimidating them and threatening them.

What are we to do in those circumstances? We don’t want to expose them further.

The overwhelming majority of Palestinian and Arab artists, like the mainstream population only even more because artists tend to be even more humanitarian, cherish the day peace will come.  They are Palestinian nationalists that demand justice and an end to the occupation.  But they are also human beings that recognize the humanity on both sides and the imperative of a just negotiated two-state solution.

As we geared up for our campaign, and the PFLP and Islamic Jihad and the Boycott campaign started attacking OneVoice Palestine and condemning its efforts and calling our artists, several Palestinian Ministers and dignitaries on our Board started counteracting them and called every one of our partners and we had firm commitments from them ALL to appear, except for one.

We also had a list with almost a dozen additional musicians willing to participate, subject to this having the blessing and imprimatur of our senior leaders.

But we had decided not to disclose their names to protect them from further intimidation.

It is interesting that some boycotters now claim they prevailed but insist they didn’t intimidate or threaten anyone.

Prevailed how? By preventing voices of moderation and reason from expressing themselves?

Prevailing how? By preventing the world from hearing from and seeing the good people of Palestine hoping for their rights to be affirmed?