Israeli theater actors refuse to perform at new West Bank cultural center
Leading settler responds to refusal by Yousef Sweid and Rami Heuberger by saying that 'Israel is much stronger than such boycotts.'
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Israel news ArielA Haaretz report on Wednesday that major Israeli theaters will travel across the Green Line for the first time to perform at a new theater at Ariel has sparked some stormy reactions: Two actors from the national theater, Habima, Yousef Sweid and Rami Heuberger, have already announced that they will not appear in any plays in Ariel.
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West Bank city of Ariel. |
| Photo by: Tal Cohen |
Sweid, who is currently appearing in "A Railway to Damascus" at Habima, told a Channel 1 television talk show yesterday that "I would be glad to perform in settlements in several shows that have messages I'd like to deliver in many communities. But settlers and settlements are not something that entertains me, and I don't want to entertain them."
No plays
No plays that Heuberger acts in are currently slated to be performed in Ariel, but he said that "if I am asked, I believe I would have a problem with performing there. As a stage actor it is a very, very problematic issue, and I think that so long as settlements are a controversial issue that will be discussed in any negotiations [with the Palestinians], I should not be there."
Shaul Goldstein, a leading settler and head of the Gush Etzion local council, retorted, "we don't need them. The nation of Israel is much stronger than such boycotts."
The plays are scheduled to take place at a cultural center at the West Bank city of Ariel, one that has been under construction for some 20 years, due to recurring funding shortages.
Recently, the city's mayor, Ron Nachman, managed to secure the funding necessary to complete the building, rounding up the total cost at NIS 40 million.
The cultural center is set to open with Be'er Sheva Theater's "Piaf" on November 8, followed by the Cameri Theater performing Bertolt Brecht's "The Caucasian Chalk Circle," "Havdalah" and "Tuesdays with Morrie". Be'er Sheva Theater will return with "The Count of Monte Cristo," followed by Habima's "Dancing and Flying" and "A Railway to Damascus," and Khan Theater's "Les fourberies de Scapin" by Moliere.
The cultural center's manager, Ariel Turgeman, told Haaretz that he fully believes the venue will be ready for opening within three months. In recent weeks, construction has been going on by night, to allow the Muslim construction workers to fast during the Ramadan month.
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I find it interesting that anyone questioning the illegal settlements is painted with the brush of "the end of the state of israel". International intergovernmental organizations such as the Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention,[9] every major organ of the United Nations,[10] the European Union, and Canada,[11] have declared that the settlements are a violation of international law. It's time for Israelis to accept the responsibility for their illegal actions against the people of Palestine.
Give us names of actors, not clowns
Who needs them, they should be so ashamed, and let them stay where they are.
Boycotting the West Bank is a very important non violent action, to fight against our main sociopolitical malady: the occupation
No difference between Ariel and Tel-Aviv.This is the Land of Israel.
Jordan's occupation of the area before 1967 was followed by Israel's no less valid occupation. For many years the Palestinians refused to discuss a 2-state solution. Meanwhile, Jews developed the region and a new generation of Israelis calls it home. The dispute calls for negotiations, but places like Ariel, Efrat, Ma'ale Adumim, etc. will remain Jewish. Why boycott them?
and the settlers is what every normal decent Israeli should strive to do. The very legitimacy of Israel within the International community is at stake. Boycott, divestments and sanctions against the illegal settlements now, you know it makes sense
I can respect what these actors are doing. At the same time, most of the people praising them are the same people who come here day after day expressing their desire for the end of the State of Israel
Get back to your declared borders---then we will disappear.
More and more the knowledge is spreading. Settlements are wrong. There is no justification in any religion for taking what belongs to others and then beating them down so that they do not resist.
Don't assume that Samaria Jews stole land from Palestinians. Most of the Jewish towns are on land formerly supervised by Jordan or bought outright by Jews. The dispute is about sovereignty, not ownership. Sovereignty must be decided by negotiations.
settlements are wrong like palestinians right of return is wrong ... same thing to me !!!
This is our land, and you are so misinformed. We are being beaten down and our lives are at risk, so Vladek go get some Education re who we are and how long we have Lived in this land of ours. Open your mind and grow, Hashem will reward you hopefully.
The freeze only applies to residential buildings?
I understand that those actors are against the occupation and violent settlers. But many settlers were just born there, they didn't ask to be born in the West Bank. Many really want peace with the Palestinians. And wouldn't it be better if Israeli actors (Jews and Arabs) would perform plays in the WB about peace and co-existance? Theatre is a great way to unite people.
I agree, its easy to paint them all with one brush. But wasnt here on Haaretz they were talking about how many of the Settlers support a one state solution (not a no state status quo) and live with Palestinians as equal. If it wasnt for the wars and the trouble maker settlers, they would all be fine!
we need more support like this and the sheik jarrah gang to free the west bank
In all final talks so far Ariel has been included as part of Israel as well, but regardless it is part of Israel and always has been.
If the settlers absolutely want to live east of the green line they are free to apply for palestinian citizenship. We don´t want to pay for them longer !!!!
Good for them, they're risking their livlihoods on behalf of a principal. I'm Israeli, love Israel and beleive in the justice and historical necessity of the Zionist movement, but I also recognize the suffering of my Palestinian neighbors, without for a second forgetting or forgiving Palestinian attempts to destroy Israel and their all too numerous acts of terrorism. The only possible solution to this bloody dispute is partition! By creating "facts on the ground" to try to render partition impossible, the settlement movement not only opposes the only path to peace they are also undermining the Zionist movement. I therefore, where possible, try to avoid buying products made in settlements.
Even if some don't agree with their political stance, in a democracy people have the right to demonstrate, and express their opinion. More power to the actors for standing up for what they believe in. But more than that: the settlements are illegal under international law, a thorn in the side of the country, a drain on our defence budget and an obstacle to peace.
As a Palestinian, its refreshing for me to see that there are still some moral people left in Israel standing up for their Jewish princilples...If we have more of them on either side, the Israeli- Palestinian issue will be solved sooner than later..Hurray for them
What peace, all your people want to do is to get rid of us, is that what you call peace, it has nothing to do with settlements or building, it is just evil.
These actors are not "boycotting" anything. They just are uncomfortable going to a place where they have strong ideological differences with Israelis being. There is nothing wrong with that.
We have enough quality things going on without them. I don't see that they have anything to add, and my guess is that even if they did come to where I live, they would have to cancel for lack of interest.
We have enough quality things going on without them. I don't see that they have anything to add, and my guess is that even if they did come to where I live, they would have to cancel for lack of interest.
So what "quality things" are those. Lacking the decency to end the occupation and only caring for those who think like you. You are welcome to those "quality things". Fortunately a majority of Israelis and Jews don't want to share them with you. That's because they know that what you think of as "quality" is infact greed, selfishness and disregard for anyone who does not share your ghastly beliefs. And, yes, I am a Zionist.
... performing on settlements would be like condoning illegitimacy and daylight robbery...
is that the government and the Palestinian government have not found an agreed upon settlement to the conflict. The settlements exist but they shouldn't be to the suffering of Palestinian neighbors. Once that ends, the boycott ends.
CONGRATULATIONS !I IT IS TIME SOMEONE STOOD UP AND SHOWED THAT NOT EVERYONE AGREES WITH NETANIAHU AND LIEBERMAN POLICIES IN WEST BANK .
Not politics, but personal ethics. We don't agree? I am waiting for you to act sensibly.
Ariel is part of occupied territory (or "controlled territories", if you prefer), but not a part of sovereign Israeli state. There are native Palestinians opposing the occupation, sometime in violent means, like every national independence movement does (including Jewish Israelis under British mandate). Why should a reasonable person travel to such dangerous places with theatre troupe?
In Ariel, ISRAEL ?? They are not only second-rate actors, but seemingly, second-rate people. We'll never see them on Oscar night.
You only see the best actors on Oscar night? What about the ones who aren't in Hollywood blockbusters but are in local or national plays? Can't they be brilliant too? I have friends who are brilliant actors, but will never get much recognition - their faces don't fit or they can't get that break.
Instead of muting them for the sake of expediently avoiding criticism and chagrin. Call it "boycott" if you want, but it's really an act of principles - there ARE people who have them - like it or not.
These actors are too influenced by what they think the non-Jews opinions are! However, most non Jews will respect Jewish national Pride in Ariel WHERE WE JEWS CAME FROM !and have more history in than Tel Aviv! Shame on them! They are not normal they feel guilty for having a country and not being persecuted. True bravery will be those Israelis who endorse Ariel! A female Native American Chief named Richards visited Israel and told us to fight for our land with everything we got or the enemy will take it!! Heed her advice foolish actors.
Such a gesture may not seem like much but it all adds up to let the Politicians know what needs to be done to save Israel and the Jews from Zionist clutches.
By a sequence of such small personal acts are mountains moved. Theater is nothing if not an attempt to move the audience to think about life. What Yousef Sweid says about "messages I'd like to deliver" is well said.
Actors are not there to be politicians. Run for office and become a politician, boycott and let a real actor do the job.
They dont like thieves and you do. That makes them bad actors? Stealing =bad Illegal=wrong You need to learn that. You seem to be confused.
Hopefully you never hatched any offspring. You have nothing to instill but immorality and hate.
In short, there are good, decent Israelis, those who are inside the Green Line. And bad and indecent Israelis, those who insist in living in other's land. These actors confuse the tradional Israel's haters by standing beside the Palestinians rights. They deserve all respect, they are real heroes of Israel and they show to the world that there is a powerful, inspiring, healthy Israel. Kol ha kavod, dudes, keep on the good job.
Actors act, soldiers fight, Brazilians aren't Israelis', neither are American's, however, we are allies and have been since Israel's inception and a Nation. I can't speak for Brazil, or America, I speak for myself ( as Americans are known to do) If you read the bible, you'd know that all the land between the two great rivers were given to the Israel, the Jews. People like you would hate Jews no matter where they live. You are an anti semitic who's chosen the wrong side ( legally so, far) Stay in Brazil, I'll stay in America, you have your opinions and I have mine. G-d chose Israel, so do I. No nation has been asked to return any land won in conflict. Have a nice day.