Kultur Kampf?

This is a straight lift from the Free Speech on Israel website:

FSOI rejects antisemitism smears against artists boycotting Pop-Kultur 

As so often occurs, allegations of antisemitism are being leveled at artists who have taken a principled decision not to participate in a cultural event which receives sponsorship from the Israeli state.

The 6th artist to withdraw from Berlin’s Pop-Kultur festival on August 23-25, Annie Goh, issued a statement via Facebook on August 20 explaining the reasons for her cancellation, criticising misinformation put out by Pop-Kultur’s organisers regarding the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and describing as ‘despicable’ smears against four Arab artists who withdrew from the festival.

Goh is the second UK Pop-Kultur participant to pull out following a call from Artists for Palestine UK, supported by Brian Eno and Roger Waters, to respect the Palestinian boycott call. Israeli citizens have also lent support to the boycott call.

Free Speech on Israel rejects the attacks on the Arab artists whose statements to the festival, cited in the APUK letter, make clear the humane and principled reasons for their protest.
By accepting sponsorship from the Israeli Embassy, Pop-Kultur festival enables Israel to use culture to sanitise and normalise an apartheid regime.

The cultural boycott is an anti-racist protest against that racist endeavour. In this case, the Israeli funding was kept secret until just before the festival, perhaps anticipating and hoping (as it turned out mistakenly) that they could avoid performers withdrawing from the festival in protest.

By falsely accusing them of antisemitic motives, festival organisers try to cover up their own complicity with the racist agenda of the ongoing “Brand Israel” campaign.

As a Jewish-led campaign, Free Speech on Israel asserts: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel is not antisemitic.

Opposing Zionism from the West Bank to the South Bank

Press report from the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network:

No Israeli Funding of the Arts

Southbank, London, 5 November 2014.  A lively and colourful 50 person-strong protest outside the BFI (British Film Institute) condemned the BFI for hosting an Israeli-sponsored film festival only weeks after Israel committed mass-murder, killing 2100 people, including over 500 children during its 51-day assault of Gaza.

Called by a new initiative, No Israeli Funding of the Arts (NIFA) [1], protestors from all walks of life, including Muslim, Jewish and Israeli, chanted and spoke out against the UK Jewish Film Festival (UKJFF) because it had insisted on accepting Israeli funding – in the midst of Israel’s war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of murder, extermination and persecution and incitement to genocide [2] – even when offered alternative funding.

Protestors spoke out against the presence of Secretary of State for Culture, Sajid Javid, at this opening gala of the UKJFF – he had slandered opponents of Israeli funding of the film festival by implying they were guilty of antisemitism.  The tiny Zionist counter-protest used the same slur.

Protests against the film festival at the Tricycle last year called for it to reject Israeli funding, and this summer the Tricycle made its courageous decision to reject the tainted funding. Last night’s protest publicised that over 500 artists and theatre practitioners had publicly defended the Tricycle from the false accusation of antisemitism when it had offered to replace Israeli funding so that the film festival could take place there.

Public protest had already closed down an Israeli-funded theatre company at the Edinburgh Fringe.  Besides the Tricycle, the Bristol Encounters Film Festival and artists from Sao Paulo Art Biennial had all rejected Israeli Embassy funding in this last period.

There will be further protests against the Israeli-funded film festival.

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[1] See No Israeli Funding of the Arts letter to all the cinemas hosting the UKJFF here.

[2] Russell Tribunal on Palestine

DEMAND “NO” TO ISRAELI SPONSORED FILM FESTIVAL

From the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
 

Protest the Israeli-funded UK Jewish Film Festival (UKJFF) taking place between 6-23 November in cinemas in Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester and Nottingham. NO ISRAELI FUNDING OF THE ARTS DEMAND “NO” TO ISRAELI SPONSORED FILM FESTIVAL Protest @ BFI Southbank Thursday, 6 November 6.45-8pm Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 8XT Tubes: Waterloo (South Bank exit), Embankment and Charing Cross bring your banners, placards, megaphones & chants! The Israeli Embassy is a sponsor of the UK Jewish Film Festival (UKJFF).  Only a few weeks ago the Israeli state again slaughtered the people of Gaza: over 2100 killed, over 500 were children.
Destroyed flats, Gaza City	We welcomed that the Tricycle took a stand against the festival’s funding by the Israeli Embassy during Israel’s 51-day assault on Gaza.  Over 500 artists and theatre practitioners publicly defended the Tricycle. Disgracefully, the BFI Southbank is helping to re-brand Israel – it’s hosting the opening gala night of the festival.  Secretary of State for Culture, Sajid Javid – who slandered the Tricycle by implying antisemitism – said he would attend.  The Israeli ambassador is also expected.
Israel’s apologists attacked the Tricycle to try to distract the public from Gaza while children were killed in their homes as they slept, with their parents as they fled, in UN shelters where they were told they would be safe, in hospitals, in mosques, while playing football: by bloodied tanks, F16s, drones, bunker busters, sea-to-land missiles, remote-controlled machine guns . . . The Russell Tribunal on Palestine (Sept 2014) found that Israel committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of murder, extermination and persecution and incitement to genocide. Join our BDS protest against collaboration with mass-murderers Facebook  Event facebook Email: NoIsraeliFundingOfTheArts@gmail.com Public protest closed down an Israeli-funded theatre company at the Edinburgh Fringe.  The Tricycle, the Bristol Encounters Film Festival, artists from Sao Paulo Art Biennial all rejected Israeli Embassy funding. See our No Israeli Funding of the Arts (NIFA) letter to all the cinemas here. Contact your the cinemas by phone, email, website, leaflet or street protest, and let them know what you think of them hosting an Israeli-funded event. Call or write to the local press or call-in radio. (All cinema contact details are here.)

More Saying No to Brand Israel

An email from the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network:

NO ISRAELI FUNDING OF THE ARTS DEMAND “NO” TO ISRAELI SPONSORED FILM FESTIVAL Protest the Israeli-funded UK Jewish Film Festival (UKJFF) taking place between 6-23 November in cinemas in Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester and Nottingham. Public protest closed down an Israeli-funded theatre company at the Edinburgh Fringe. The Tricycle, the Bristol Encounters Film Festival, artists from Sao Paulo Art Biennial all rejected Israeli Embassy funding. IJAN is centrally involved in the No Israeli Funding of the Arts (NIFA) initiative. See NIFA’s letter to all the cinemas here. Contact your local (or even distant) cinema by phone, email, website, leaflet or street protest, and let them know what you think of them hosting an Israeli-funded event. Call or write to the local press or call-in radio to tell them what you think of their Israeli rebranding. (All cinema contact details are here.) One of the opening gala nights is at the London BFI on 6 November (see below) we will protest their collaboration with the slaughterers of the Gazan people. Protest @ BFI Southbank Thursday, 6 November 6.45-8pm Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 8XT Tubes: Waterloo (South Bank exit), Embankment and Charing Cross bring your banners, placards, megaphones & chants! The Israeli Embassy is a sponsor of the UK Jewish Film Festival (UKJFF).  Only a few weeks ago the Israeli state again slaughtered the people of Gaza: over 2000 killed, over 500 were children.
Destroyed block of flats, Gaza City	We welcomed that the Tricycle took a stand against the festival’s funding by the Israeli Embassy during Israel’s 51-day assault on Gaza.  Over 500 artists and theatre practitioners publicly defended the Tricycle. Disgracefully, the BFI Southbank is helping to re-brand Israel – it’s hosting the opening gala night of the festival.  Secretary of State for Culture, Sajid Javid – who slandered the Tricycle by implying antisemitism – said he would attend.  The Israeli ambassador is also expected.
Israel’s apologists attacked the Tricycle to try to distract the public from Gaza while children were killed in their homes as they slept, with their parents as they fled, in UN shelters where they were told they would be safe, in hospitals, in mosques, while playing football: by bloodied tanks, F16s, drones, bunker busters, sea-to-land missiles, remote-controlled machine guns . . . The Russell Tribunal on Palestine (Sept 2014) found that Israel committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of murder, extermination and persecution and incitement to genocide. Join our protest against collaboration with mass-murderers Facebook  Event facebook Email: NoIsraeliFundingOfTheArts@gmail.com

Saying No to Brand Israel

From the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network NO ISRAELI FUNDING OF THE ARTS IJAN is centrally involved in the No Israeli Funding of the Arts initiative – we want everyone we are in touch with to know that the Israeli-funded UKJFF (UK Jewish Film Festival) is taking place this year (6-23 November) in cinemas in Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester and Nottingham. We have written to all the cinemas – see our letter below – and we are asking that you contact your local (or even a distant) cinema by phone, email, website, leaflet or street protest, and let them know what you think of them hosting an Israeli-funded event. (All cinema contact details are at end of this email.) Call or write to the local press or call-in radio to tell them what you think of their not caring for the Jewish films, only for the Israeli rebranding (see below). Check the UKJFF calendar to find when each cinema is hosting UKJFF films.  The opening gala night is at the London BFI on 6 November – we are planning to protest their collaboration with the slaughterers of the Gazan people. Note: IJAN workshop, From Gaza to Ferguson @ Anarchist Bookfair, 18 Oct, 3-4pm

NO ISRAELI FUNDING OF THE ARTS LETTER TO CINEMAS HOSTING THE UK JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL We are writing to you as one of the cinemas hosting the UK Jewish Film Festival (UKJFF) 6-23 November, 2014, to ask that you reconsider. Who we are We are a diverse group, including Israeli and other Jewish people, most of us local to, and often in the audience of, the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn, northwest London. In 2012 local residents leafleted the cinema to oppose its hosting of the Israeli-sponsored UKJFF; in 2013 we protested outside the Tricycle when it again hosted the UKJFF. (The protests were called by the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.) Tricycle / UKJFF This year, many including ourselves, welcomed the Tricycle’s stand against the festival’s funding by the Israeli Embassy during Israel’s 50-day slaughter on Gaza. The Tricycle had offered the organisers of the UKJFF replacement funding so that the film festival could go ahead at the Tricycle.  But the UKJFF refused their offer and to dissociate itself from the Israeli government – the priority was Israeli sponsorship, rather than the film festival.  Is the UKJFF merely a means to a political end, to give Israel a humanist image? Who attacked the Tricycle The Government’s Chief Whip, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Israeli Ambassador, each publicly attacked the Tricycle for having refused Israeli sponsorship.  They slandered the Tricycle by accusing it of antisemitism; as did donors and local councillors who threatened to withdraw funds and involve the Charity Commission. Who defended the Tricycle Support came from National Theatre director, Nicholas Hytner, acclaimed director Lenny Abrahamson; over 500 artists, including prominent theatre directors and playwrights, some of whom affirmed “We artists have a right to boycott” (letter to the Stage); and note the artists’ solidarity page: “The Tricycle Theatre is Not Anti-Semitic. In July, Scottish artists, including National Poet Liz Lochhead, signed an open letter in The Herald protesting an Israeli-funded theatre company at the Edinburgh Fringe. After vociferous public protest, the show closed after one performance. Following the Tricycle’s refusal of Israeli funding, the Encounters Film Festival in Bristol and artists from the 31st Sao Paulo Art Biennial in Brazil also refused Israeli funding. What Israel’s apologists did While crying antisemitism, Israel’s apologists used their attack on the Tricycle to try to distract the public from Gaza: from seeing Israeli politicians, religious authorities, journalists and the public, calling for mass rape, mass murder, even genocide of Palestinians; from the bloodied tanks, F16s, drones, bunker busters, sea-to-land missiles, remote-controlled machine guns, that blasted schools, hospitals, mosques, blocks of flats, children playing football; and from the 2,200 Gazans killed -- over 500 children, and half a million displaced. The Russell Tribunal on Palestine found evidence of war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of murder, extermination and persecution and also incitement to genocide. What happened to the Tricycle Even while Gaza was being destroyed, the Tricycle was forced to retreat.  But actress Maureen Lipman, advocating for the UKJFF admitted that they knew the depth of the community’s support for the theatre’s stand, announcing that the festival was unlikely to go back to the Tricycle any time soon. That stand reaffirmed that the arts are social and political.  It was welcomed by anti-racists everywhere. And please note: both the local council and the Arts Council ruled out loss of funding. What we want you to do The assistant manager of the Everyman cinema insisted that “refusing to host any arts festival on political grounds will cause more harm than good.” (Email, 10 September 2014.) The Everyman’s is not a principled position – it is complicity and appeasement.  It is the argument of those who refused to boycott South African apartheid. Who knows better than Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a proponent of cultural boycott, who said, “We in South Africa know about oppression and occupation and know about the power of BDS” (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions)? We ask that you take direction from the anti-racist, non-violent, Palestinian-led BDS movement. We ask that you refuse to host the UKJFF – not because it is Jewish, of course, but because it is funded by the Israeli Embassy.  The embassy’s job, especially in London (the boycott “hub”) is to promote what it calls Brand Israel – state-sponsored propaganda, designed to camouflage Israeli brutality within a smokescreen of culture, including film festivals. We ask that you side with the victims and survivors of the assault on Gaza – not be part of the cover-up of war crimes being committed against them. NoIsraeliFundingOfTheArts@gmail.com

CINEMAS HOSTING THE UKJFF Glasgow Venue              CCA (Centre for Contemporary Arts) Address           350 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow G2 3JD Email               gen@cca-glasgow.com Telephone       0141 352 4900 Venue              Glasgow Film Theatre Address           12 Rose St, Glasgow, Lanarkshire G3 6RB Email               jaki.mcdougall@glasgowfilm.org (Chief Executive) Telephone       0141 332 6535  Leeds Venue              MAZCC Address           311 Stonegate Road, Leeds LS17 6AZ Email:              enquiries@ljwb.co.uk Telephone       0113 268 4211 Venue              Seven Arts Centre Address           31(a) Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, LS7 3PD Email               info@sevenleeds.co.uk Telephone       0113 26 26 777 London Venue              Arthouse Crouch End Address:          159A Tottenham Lane, N8 9BT Email               info@arthousecrouchend.co.uk Contact form   http://www.arthousecrouchend.co.uk/contact/  Telephone       020 8245 3099 Venue              BAFTA British Academy of Film and Television Arts Address           195 Piccadilly, W1J 9LN Email               info@bafta.org Contact form   http://www.bafta.org/contact-us.html Telephone       020 7734 0022 Venue              Barbican Address           Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Email               film@barbican.org.uk Feedback        https://www.barbican.org.uk/general/online-feedback-form.asp Telephone       020 7638 4141 Venue              BFI Southbank Address           Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1 8XT Email               director@bfi.org.uk Contact form   http://www.bfi.org.uk/form/contact-bfi-southbank Telephone       020 7255 1444 Venue              Ciné Lumière Address           17 Queensberry Place, SW7 2DT Email               box.office@institutfrancais.org.uk    Telephone       020 7871 3515 Venue              Curzon Mayfair Address           38 Curzon Street, W1J 7TY Email               manager.mayfair@curzon.com Contact form   http://www.curzoncinemas.com/contact_us/ Venue              Odeon Muswell Hill Address           Fortis Green Road, N10 3HP Contact form   http://www.odeon.co.uk/contactus/ Telephone       0207 321 6237 (conferencing & events) Venue              Everyman Maida Vale Address           215 Sutherland Avenue, W9 1RU Email               maidavale.manager@everymancinema.com Contact form   http://www.everymancinema.com/contact-us/  Telephone       0871 906 9060  Venue              Everyman Hampstead Address           5 Holly Bush Vale, NW3 6TX Email               hampstead.manager@everymancinema.com Contact form   http://www.everymancinema.com/contact-us/ Telephone       0871 906 9060  Venue              JW3 Address           341-351 Finchley Road, London NW3 6ET Email               info@jw3.org.uk Telephone       020 7433 8988 Venue              LJCC (London Jewish Cultural Centre) Address           Ivy House, 94-96 North End Road, NW11 7SX Email               admin@ljcc.org.uk  Contact form   http://www.ljcc.org.uk/contact/  Telephone       020 8457 5000 Venue              Odeon South Woodford Address           60/64 High Road, South Woodford, E18 2QL Contact form   http://www.odeon.co.uk/contactus/  Telephone       0207 321 6237 (conferencing & events) Venue              Odeon Swiss Cottage Address           96 Finchley Rd, NW3 5EL Contact form   http://www.odeon.co.uk/contactus/  Telephone       0207 321 6237 (conferencing & events) Venue              Phoenix Cinema Address           52 High Road, East Finchley, N2 9PJ Email               management@phoenixcinema.co.uk  Telephone       020 8444 6789 Manchester Venue              Cornerhouse Address           70 Oxford St, Manchester M1 5NH Email               info@cornerhouse.org Telephone       0161 228 7621  Venue              Cineworld Didsbury Address           Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre, Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M20 5PG Contact form   https://www.cineworld.co.uk/contact  (250 words max.) Telephone       0208 742 4010  Venue              Menorah Address           198 Altrincham Rd, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 4RZ Email               filmclub@menorah.org.uk Contact form   https://menorah.org.uk/contact-us/ Telephone       0161 428 7746 Nottingham Venue              Broadway Cinema Address           14–18 Broad St, Nottingham NG1 3AL Email               info@broadway.org.uk Contact form   http://www.broadway.org.uk/contact/steve (Chief Executive) Telephone       0115 9526 611

Israel elections: the predictions were correct

Before the elections in Israel were held there were predictions that Netanyahu would win but with an enlarged opposition to his right or with his inclusion of more right wing forces than even his own in Likud and Yisrael Beteinu.  Those predictions were largely correct if we ignore party labels and focus on policy and ideology.

Here's Azmi Bishara:

There is an ill-conceived and widespread view that the latest Israeli Knesset elections have created a new balance of powers, with the seats being divided 60-60, and that this stands in the way of a new governing coalition. Yet Yaer Lapid’s new party, which secured 19 seats, is neither leftist nor centrist but a right-wing party, albeit one which is secular, hence the confusion. Lapid is willing to join Netanyahu in a coalition with a few minor conditions, namely the limitation of the religious parties’ power and increased influence for middle class Israelis in dictating domestic and economic policies. The Palestinian cause is of no great consequence to Lapid and he is not a novelty in Israeli politics.

I'm gratified that his response is similar to my own in a comment yesterday:

I think calling him a centrist has been one of those sleights of hand we see whenever Israeli politics is discussed in the MSM. His big thing is secularism, insofar as zionism can be secular. He's still a great believer in Jewish supremacy, as you see from his "I am a Zionist" piece in YNET.

Did the Knesset move to the right or did it stay where it was?  It's literally impossible to tell given the Orwellian way in which these racist parties are labelled and described. The question is why are so many commentators to keen to portray any of these racist ethnic cleansing parties as being on the left?

The number 38 bus from Sadler's Wells to Palestine

Here's a heart warming tale of anti-zionist folk in London.  There was a picket by Palestine solidarity activists of the Sadler's Wells Theatre on the occasion of a brand Israel performance by Batsheva.  Well a London double decker bus driver honked his approval of the demonstration as recorded by zionist blogger, Richard Millett:

and, predictably, there were complaints by zionists to the bus company, Arriva and to Transport for London.

Here's the Jewish Chronicle article under the headline, Arriva bus driver has apologised for Batsheva incident:

The bus company Arriva has apologised for “inappropriate” behaviour after an on-duty driver offered express support to anti-Israel protesters.

The incident in November, outside Sadler’s Wells theatre in London, was during a demonstration against a performance by the youth arm of Israeli dance company Batsheva.

Activists were gathered outside the venue wielding banners about Israeli apartheid at the demonstration, when the driver of a No 38 bus came past. As he passed, the driver tooted his horn several times and waved at the demonstrators, promoting them to cheer.

A witness contacted Arriva the following day expressing concern, and Arriva has now investigated.

“That sort of behaviour is totally inappropriate whilst on duty and I can confirm that the driver in question has since been identified and interviewed by his manager,” said a spokesman for the company “He was advised on all aspects of your complaint and his performance will be closely monitored to make sure that there are no further incidents of this nature.

“I am sorry that a member of our staff should have acted in this manner.”

A Transport for London spokesman, responding to another complaint about the incident, said: “We expect drivers to promote a positive image of London Buses and to act professionally at all times. Clearly, a London bus driver should not be participating in a protest while performing their duties.”

I can't see an apology from the driver in there. Apparently Arriva owns a piece of Veolia. Coincidence? Probably.

Musicians against apartheid at the Proms

The Proms is an annual musical event at the Royal Albert Hall in London. I didn't know but apparently it is organised by the BBC but now I do know I am not surprised that this year they have invited the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to perform.  Here's a letter in yesterday's Independent protesting at the BBC siding with the racist war criminals of the State of Israel yet again:

Proms exploited for arts propaganda campaign

As musicians we are dismayed that the BBC has invited the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to play at the Proms on 1 September. The IPO has a deep involvement with the Israeli state – not least its self-proclaimed "partnership" with the Israeli Defence Forces. This is the same state and army that impedes in every way it can the development of Palestinian culture, including the prevention of Palestinian musicians from travelling abroad to perform.

Our main concern is that Israel deliberately uses the arts as propaganda to promote a misleading image of Israel. Through this campaign, officially called "Brand Israel", denials of human rights and violations of international law are hidden behind a cultural smokescreen. The IPO is perhaps Israel 's prime asset in this campaign.

The Director of the Proms, Roger Wright, was asked to cancel the concert in accordance with the call from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott (PACBI). He rejected this call, saying that the invitation is "purely musical".

Israel's policy towards the Palestinians fits the UN definition of apartheid. We call on the BBC to cancel this concert.

Derek Ball (composer)

Frances Bernstein (community choir leader)

Steve Bingham (violinist)

John Claydon (saxophonist)

Malcolm Crowthers (music photographer)

Raymond Deane (composer)

Tom Eisner (violinist LPO)

Nancy Elan (violinist LPO)

Deborah Fink (soprano)

Catherine Ford (violinist, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment)

Reem Kelani (Palestinian singer, musician and broadcaster)

Les Levidow (violinist)

Susie Meszaros (violinist, Chilingirian Quartet)

Roy Mowatt (violinist, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment)

Ian Pace (pianist)

Leon Rosselson (singer-songwriter)

Dominic Saunders (pianist)

Chris Somes-Charlton (artist manager)

Leni Solinger (violinist)

Sarah Streatfeild (violinist LPO)

Sue Sutherley (cellist, LPO)

Tom Suarez (violinist, New York)

Kareem Taylor (Oud Player/Guitarist and Composer)

Miriam Walton (pianist, organist and French horn player)

I actually got this from the Israel advocacy site, Engage, where the first comment questions the musical credentials of the signatories though not the contention that Israel is an apartheid state as per the UN definition. That's left to the last comment by someone who appears not to know how the UN defines the crime of apartheid.

Brand Israel can't turn a liability into an asset

Here's an article in the Forward about how Israel's sexy branding campaign doesn't quite cover for the repugnant nature of the state and its policies.  See how the writer, Gary Wexler, focuses on the problem of marketing Israeli products even in America:

I pulled out my smart phone and did a quick Google search. I found that Sabra Foods is owned by Pepsico Corporation. But as I searched further, buried under other information, I read that Sabra is a joint partnership between Pepsico and Strauss Foods. The next Google search brought up Strauss Foods of Israel.

Why is the national identity of Sabra Hummus not clearly stated right on its label, like the pride with which spicy red tomato sauces are called Mexican Salsa? Or tomato sauces with garlic and oregano are called Italian Tomato Sauce? Or Indian Curry? Or Greek Olives? Or Turkish Delight? Certainly not because other Middle-Eastern nations can also claim hummmus as their own cuisine. The Turks and Greeks claim everything each other cooks. The same with the Indians and Pakistanis, as well as Mexicans and all their Central American neighbors.

Is the Israeli-ness of the hummus hidden because of boycott fears, legitimately fueled by the smashing of Israeli wines in Europe and Canada? Perhaps. But isn’t America supposed to be the last bastion in the world of big Israel supporters?

I don’t blame Strauss Foods for positioning these product lines in America as “Mediterranean.” They’re in the business of selling food, not selling Zionism. The unfortunate truth, though, is that “Israel,” associated with anything except hi-tech and security products, is proving to be an increasing liability, especially when it is identified with mass consumer goods. Even with all the efforts of Camera, the Israel Project, the Jewish Federations and all the other organizations that blast my email inbox daily with defensive statements, Israel is increasingly emerging as the world’s pariah nation.............

It has become clear that the world doesn’t care about Israel’s wines, its Bauhaus architecture, its fashion, its alluring women, its sexy gay men, its beaches, its ballet or its hummus. The world, its media and its university campuses are riveted upon Israel’s relationship with the Palestinians as well as the state of its democracy.

No, the answer to Israel’s image problems does not depend upon the marketing. It depends first upon the policies.

Actually it might be the state itself that is hard to sell.