Amnesty International yanks support for Cohen's peace concert

[grassfed]

Amnesty International has decided to discontinue its support for Leonard Cohen's peace concert in Ramat Gan next month, following pressure from Palestinian solidarity groups for the artist to boycott Israel.

Cohen's tour of the region has been dogged by controversy, and attempts to arrange a Ramallah concert were rebuffed due to pressure from Palestinian groups who felt it would be regarded as a step toward normalization of ties with Israel.

Amnesty had originally agreed with Cohen's representatives to work together on a fund for "Reconciliation, Tolerance and Peace," but a statement posted on Amnesty International's Web site last week declared: "Given the different requirements of Amnesty International's work and that of the fund, both have agreed that at this point AIUSA will withdraw from active involvement with the fund. Amnesty International USA will not be part of the fund nor benefit financially from the proceeds of the concert in Tel Aviv."

Omar Barghouti of The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel commented, "We welcome Amnesty International's withdrawal from this ill-conceived project, which is clearly intended to whitewash Israel's violations of international law and human rights. By abandoning the Leonard Cohen project in Tel Aviv, Amnesty International has dealt Cohen and his public relations team a severe blow, denying them the cover of the organization's prestige and respectability."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1249418671200&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[LeftishBrit]

1. Note that this was not based on any ideological objection to the concert...

They are quoted in the article:

"it wasn't this that has led us to change our approach to this issue. Amnesty doesn't take a position on cultural or other boycotts; we do advocate sanctions in certain circumstances - we did call earlier this year for an arms embargo on both Israel and Palestine, but we don't take a position on any cultural boycott... It was only following the lack of support from Israeli and Palestinian NGOs that we decided not to continue our support."

As someone who supports AI, I do think that they messed up in this case. They should either not have given public support to this concert until they had checked whether they'd get sufficient support from the relevant NGOs, or have stuck to their guns despite the lack of support. This will give ammunition to propagandists on both sides: "This justifies a cultural boycott of Israel!" vs "This just proves that AI are anti-Israel and can't be trusted." Neither of which is justified by the facts - but AI were caught napping a bit.

[pelsar]

8. the issues isnt AI in this case...

outside of the fact that they should stay away from such things, since they are political, the Palestinians rejecting a concert because the guy will also play in Tel Aviv, is just another stupid decision, just like the previous concert that was to play for both.

Sorry to say, but if a simple bit of music offends them, because it will also be play in israel, then their rejection of all things Israel runs far deeper than i ever imagined (within their political leaders).....and this is the PA, not hamas.

its not a good way to express a willingness to live side by side with israel.....

[JDPriestly]

2. Cohen is singing in Belgrade tomorrow, Sept. 2

http://www.leonardcohen.com/tour.cgi

Why don't the Palestinians organize their own concert and ask him to sing for them too. I think that the announcement of Amnesty International's decision is very unfair to Cohen. He was willing to sing for peace. Who will stand for peace? Both Israelis and Palestinians have to be willing to give a measure of good faith to the other. This gesture on Amnesty International's part is very discouraging. We do not know what Leonard Cohen would have said or done at the concert. Because of the lack of Palestinian support, there is no chance that he could have made a difference in both Palestine and Israel at least with all who attend his concerts.

This is precisely the kind of political maneuver that makes it difficult to get dialogue in Palestine/Israel. This sort of decision will simply entrench the anger and the self-righteousness on both sides. Amnesty International of all organizations should have brought the NGOs together to work on making the concerts really bi-national. That would have been one positive step. I am sorry that Amnesty International allowed itself to be discouraged in this way.

I am not linked with Leonard Cohen in any way and do not speak for him. I only speak for myself. I am also not tied to Palestine or Israel. I would just like to see peace. I know it can happen. If it could be achieved between France and Germany with regard to the Alsace-Lorraine, it can be achieved between Palestine and Israel.

[oberliner]

3. He had planned a concert for Ramallah as well but they would not allow it to go forward

West Bank cancels Leonard Cohen concert in protest against Israel

Palestinian hosts call off Canadian singer's gig amid claims it was a hollow attempt to 'balance' Tel Aviv performance

A Leonard Cohen concert planned in Ramallah on the West Bank in September has been cancelled after the artist became embroiled in a campaign to boycott Israel.

The 74-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter announced he would perform in Tel Aviv as part of his world tour. The Ramallah date was added later, allegedly in response to pro-Palestinian campaigners who had tried to dissuade Cohen from appearing in Israel.

Now his Palestinian hosts have cancelled the West Bank concert, amid claims that the planned gig was a hollow attempt to "balance" performances.

"Ramallah will not receive Cohen as long as he is intent on whitewashing Israel's colonial apartheid regime by performing in Israel," the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) said in a statement.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jul/14/leonard-cohen-ramallah-gig-cancelled

[JDPriestly]

4. Another opportunity to show good faith about peace that Palestinians will iss.

The Palestinians want all or nothing. They are getting nothing. In my view, that is a shame, but it is their choice.

And don't tell me about how they lost their homes. Members of my family who lived in Europe before WWII also lost their homes. In fact some of them lost their entire communities, their livelihoods, everything. Displacement is the price of war and the peace that follows. Land exchanges hands, and those who lived on the land can lose their property.

During WWI, Turkey, including Palestine/Israel, sided with the Germans. When the Germans and Turkey were defeated, the victor Britain controlled the area.

In WWII, Palestinian religious leaders sided with, guess who? Right. The Germans. So, after the war, to the victors went the spoils. At the time the West agreed to establish a Jewish state in Israel, about a million Jews were still subsisting in prison camps. It took a while to release them from the camps. They could not just be sent out into the German countryside. It was not safe.

In addition, the world was flooded with refugees. Since Jewish people wanted to go to Israel, it was logical to allow them to go.

Since that time, other groups, especially Eastern Europeans who were ousted or fled from their homes in fear of their lives, found new homes in North and South America, in Australia and in other parts of Europe. The Palestinians stayed in refugee camps. Each of these peoples chose its fate.

I hope that Palestinians will open their hearts and choose to get something rather than to just accept the nothing they have now.

[Violet_Crumble]

5. No offense, but that's a tad melodramatic. It's a Leonard Cohen concert, not peace talks...

And the Palestinians don't want all or nothing. That's what you incorrectly interpret them as wanting...

And I find yr attitude about Palestinians losing their homes to be pretty damn callous. Someone needs to tell you about how they lost their homes so hopefully you could show a shred of empathy for them. Palestinians are still losing their homes, and yr shit happens attitude just doesn't come across very well at all....

[JDPriestly]

6. Do you think the people in Yugoslavia who had to escape after WWII

lost their homes in any way that was different than the way the Palestinians lost theirs? Or the people from Hungary? or those from Poland? the Ukraine? That is what happens in the aftermath of a war. And the process of re-establishing peace can be almost as brutal as war itself if you are on the wrong side of the victors. That is where the Palestinians.

[Violet_Crumble]

7. Well, I don't think it's tough shit for anyone who loses their home...

If yr not aware of the vast change and creation of human rights law where it comes to refugees that came out of WWII, the UN site provides more than you can poke a stick at. Maybe you should read it? It'll make you better informed on the issue, and you probably won't sound half as callous when you post about refugees in future.

[JDPriestly]

9. The refugees in Palestine are part of the divisions of land and peace

treaties that ended WWII. I knew people who worked with Christian relief agencies in the early 50s and 60s. Palestine was a mess. The leaders of the Palestinian people were not honest in my opinion.

[Violet_Crumble]

11. Sorry, but the Palestinians weren't refugees till after WWII ended...

Not sure why you'd think otherwise. Again, I'll suggest that you visit the UN site and read up on the treaties concerning refugees, because yr incorrect in yr claim that it's tough shit to people who lose their homes.

I'm also sure neither the leaders of the Palestinians nor the Israelis were honest, so not sure what yr point was there....

[ProgressiveMuslim]

10. BDS! BDS! BDS! BDS! BDS!