You are here: Liverpool Confidential › Culture › Arts.
THE Liverpool Biennial Art festival has been urged to end its links with Israel by a local Palestinian support group.
The Bold Street-based Liverpool Friends of Palestine has sent a letter to the trustees of the festival, which opened last weekend, after noting that the Embassey of Israel was listed among its "Funders and Supporters" in official publicity material.
LFOP says it has asked the Biennial for clarification on the precise nature of the deal but has so far received no reply.
Nevertheless it is urging the festival o cut its ties, warning that "those who accept such sponsorship risk appearing to endorse the maltreatment of Palestinians".
Liverpool Biennial's funders and supporters
In a letter sent to Paula Ridley, chair of the board of Biennial trustees, LFOP Chairman Colin McKean says that even before the events of this week such sponsorship was inappropriate: "Israel's treatment of the Palestinians is oppressive...Now as the festival begins, many Palestinians lie dead, several hundred are in overstretched hospitals and even more are detained in prison".
The letter concludes with an invitation to terminate the Funder/Supporter relationship and to return any money that may have been received.
LFOP, which says it is not affiliated to any political party, will also on Sunday call on Neil Young - who plays the Echo Arena that day - to cancel his scheduled performance in Tel-Aviv.
Liverpool Confidential has also asked the Liverpool Biennial for a comment but so far none has been forthcoming.
Like what you see? Enter your email to sign up for our newsletters which are chock-a-block with more great reviews, news, deals and savings.
64 comments so far, continue the conversation, write a comment.
I am Martha Happiness Smith, a citizen of the united states of America, A single mom with three…
Read moreAt least when you are an "Inny" boy there's somewhere to put your salt when you are eating chips in…
Read moreI must ask something that has troubled me since my first days at secondary school. If the chip shop…
Read more"So are you suggesting that there is no point in going to any event." I'm suggesting what I wrote,…
Read more
The only "inappropriate" response would be for the Biennial trustees to take any notice of the one-eyed LFOP. To accede to their illiberal request would "risk appearing to endorse" the indiscriminate murder of innocent Israelis (Jew and Arab alike) with rockets from Gaza. Anti-semitism is fascism!
And critising Israel when it behaves like it is, is not Anti Semisism, blindly supporting Israel is fascism.
Hear hear Bradders
As Israel is carrying out acts of genocide against Arabs (who are a Semitic race) then technically Israel is anti-Semitic.
genocide? that's a bit OTT and delusional isn't it.
It's what the Americans call 'shooting fish in a barrel'. Same principle as the Nazis and the Warsaw Ghetto.
Godwin's law has been invoked, hurrah!!!
Thank goodness for Godwin's Law for it provides something to say for the smug idiots who otherwise have nothing to contribute. One can only imagine their excitement when the opportunity arises.....Ooh ooooh Godwin's Law...I must....now how do you spell invoke....... Nobody's allowed to say anything now....it's the LAW.....(self satisfied nod to themselves).
No doubt some American inanity for the amusement of onanists.
If it was going to be invoked it would have nee for Nick Cowans original comment.
Nick, I completely agree with you!
I completely agree with you, Nick! Illiberal is the perfect word to describe this LFOP as denying sponsorship of an arts festival is essentially denying these artists' views to be expressed to the world. And that's oppressive, indeed. The blindfold under which the LFOP operates needs to be removed so they can realize that the Israeli Embassy sponsors Jewish and Arab Israeli artists alike, even when those artists criticize it. It would seem the only thing the Palestinians endorses nowadays is human shields and murder by inciting the Israeli army (an army!) into action. Where is the humanity in that, the humanity that the Israeli Embassy supports by sponsoring an arts & humanities project such as the wonderful Liverpool Biennial?
What you have just said is extremely racists as it assumes that all Palestinians support the actions of Hamas. Also keep in mind that all Israels do military service, the reserve is vast and they don't live apart from the rest of the Israeli population so they are just as much using the population as human shields.
conscription and national service are categorically not using the population as human shields and that's a crazy thing to say. Hamas like to put their rocket launchers near to homes and schools because a) they know it makes Israel less likely to attack them before the rockets can be fired and b) they are happy to trade their civilians lives for global headlines which generate the type of support that LFOP offer.
What it means is those Hamas rockets fall on areas containing members of the Israeli military. Same justification as IDF uses to attack Palestinian land. Israel has systematically and cynically taken Palestinian Territory. If any surround country had taken a slice of Israeli territory the IDFs attack would be relentless and would not be confined to the taken land.
The other point, of course, is that it isn't necessary to take Hamas' bait. Especially when it is so ineffective. In the normal course of things terrorist activities would be handled by the government of the state where they were committed, but Israel has repeatedly said it will invade if the Palestinians declare a state. Israel has deliberately created a situation where there is no effective state in the west bank and Gaza and then has punished the residents for this lack of a state apparatus. If Israel over the last 60+ years had been very restrained and not responded the death toll on both sides would be far lower. The US and the west, with their unconditional support for Israel have removed the necessity of getting on with its neighbours, so the likes of Netanyahu can play up to their local right wingers. The closest analogy that I can find is the crusader states funded and armed by Europe and that didn't end well.
If anyone is unsure what Fascism is read en.wikipedia.org/…/Fascism… and see who you think it applies to today.
Oh and can someone mention Trains, I'm happier in the arena.
If anyone feels that strongly then they should get off their botties and take a trip over there instead of bleating platitudes and gesturing from afar. Grrrrr
As the bombs rain down on Gaza and more entirely innocent civilians are killed can it really be right to deal with Israel's government representatives as if nothing abnormal is happening? The ongoing occupation of Palestine needs to brought to an end for everyone's sake.
I think people should read this: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/…/gaza-10-things-you-need-to-know_b_2139356.html…
I read it and its an opinion piece and is in no way a balanced view.
It is disgraceful on so many levels that the Biennial thinks it's ok to tie up with the Israeli embassy. But strangely tolerated in this city. Speaking out against Israel, rather clumsily, was what got Phil Hayes into trouble with he law remember.
Erm Phil Hayes ended up in a court room and pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence. It was not clumsy it was RACIST. Major difference.
And by the way, the stripes on that Dazzle Ship are supposed to be horizontal
So I assume it's fine by the artists taking part in the Biennial that their sponsors kill innocent children in broad daylight on a beach. Still, better than an honest day's work eh?
By accident non, not deliberately. Should Israel just do nothing while it is attacked?
Yes. Doing nothing would be the best policy and would lead to the fewest deaths of Israeli's in the short term. Yes Israeli is killing children deliberately. You cannot lob a bomb into a populated area and claim not to be doing so.
Seriously John over a thousand rockets fired at a country and you think the government can seriously do nothing? Just take it on the chin and not say try to destroy the rocket launchers or the stockpiles of rockets? If it were the UK on the receiving end would you be happy for our government to do nothing?
How many people killed by these rockets? So really you don't care how many Israelis are killed in the tit for tat exchanges, it is all about maintaining the princely honor of the state of Isreal. The IRA killed far more than hamas, there were no bombing raids on the bog side.
Hamas would kill a lot more if it wasn't for the Israeli and Egyptian security fences and border controls plus the constant high state of alert. How many are killed really isn't the point the country is under attack it has to defend itself and protect its citizens. I really don't know how many the IRA or Hamas have killed but one death from terrorism is too many, governments most fundamental duty is to protect its people.
Israeli would kill a lot more people if it wasn't for international pressure. So it's not about people being killed, it is about the pride of state, so you're making it clear that the deaths of Israelis are not the problem for Israel but not being able to stop the missiles is. You don't care about Israeli deaths or anybody else that is quite clear. If taking it on the chin for a while is they way to peace it is clear that you aren't prepared to take it, you more interest in short term posturing than in a long term body count. What you sound like is someone reading from a book of laws about how princes and chieftains should act.
you completely misunderstand me and what I'm saying. The israeli government must protect its people and therefore must act when it has rockets fired at the country at civilian areas. Its not a book of laws its what people elect their governments to do - first and foremost is to protect them. To suggest I don't care about death is crass in the extreme, if I didn't care about this why would I post here?
So you are saying it is not about the number of Israeli deaths, because I made the clear point that in the long the run the number of Israeli deaths would be minimised by taking it on the chin, you say that is not an option Israeli must react. In doing that it is quite clearly not defending it is people, but take a course dictated for other reasons. Doing what a party must do to get into power is not the same as doing the best to protect citizens.
how can you say Israel is not defending its people it is targeting Hamas militants who have fired hundreds of rockets at Israel over the last few weeks, that is an act of self defence. And you point about pacifism being the long term answer can only be the case if both sides adhear to it, when they don't the other side simply cannot sit there an take it. There have been ceasefires in the last few days, each time Israel observes them and Hamas doesn't, how much of that do you have to take before you act?
Israel's actions will result in more deaths of Israelis therefore it is not protecting them. It is acting out of pride and arrogance. It hasn't stopped the rockets and doesn't look likee it will as a stratergy it has failed year after year, that is if it is a stragery to bring peace. I never said pacifism. I never said no action. Israel has not observed the cease-fires any more than Hamas, both sides ignored the UN last call. Israeli has deliberately destroyed the control structures in Gaza, doing this makes it impossible for the center to enforce any ceasefire. In military parlance what the Israelis have done is go for a decapitation strike, the is a well documents and well explored stratagem and its outcomes well plotted. It is obvious that in the situation the consequences are lack of control.
Very difficult to defend either side in this situation: as is often the case in that part of the world each is as loathsome, despicable, hateful and bellicose as the other
Tanks against civilians? Aircraft with guided missiles against homes and hospitals? Hardly a fair fight is it?
Its not fair it is the means that israel has at its disposal to defend itself and it is Hamas that chooses to put its military kit in civilian areas.
There are no non civilian areas of Gaza, it is full, the Israelis even attack the beach.
And even the zoo, killing many of the animals. Still they MUST have been militants and terrorists otherwise action would have been taken against mass-murdering Israel.
Slightly skewed by the fact that similarly armed thugs are hiding amongst the unfortunate innocents and locations you mention
Rubbish! Justify your hiarious statement!
Is that an Arabic word?
Nice attempt at changing the subject.
Butt out and do some cut n paste pics of roadsigns soft lad
and you can't even work out how to use the system properly.
ANONYMOUSOn Thursday at 12:41 PM. “Seriously John over a thousand rockets fired at a country and you think the government can seriously do nothing? Just take it on the chin and not say try to destroy the rocket launchers or the stockpiles of rockets? If it were the UK on the receiving end would you be happy for our government to do nothing?” . - The United Kingdom is not comparable. Israel should not do nothing; it should immediately remove itself from the illegally-occupied West Bank and stop running Gaza like a concentration camp whilst pretending it is an independent foreign country that is being aggressive. When Iraq illegally invaded Kuwait and was condemned by the United Nations the aggressor state was being bombed by the United States in a matter of days. When Israel illegally invaded the West Bank and Gaza in 1967 and was condemned by the United Nations, the Americans did not bomb the aggressor state. After 47 years of this illegal occupation the United States has not only failed to bomb Israel, it has given the pariah state weapons that outclass those of any other country in the region. Israel is not defending itself from a foreign aggressor, it is exterminating its indigenous population.
concentration camp? extermination? that is some heavy rhetoric. And completely untrue.
Has anyone checked this anons IP? www.al-bab.com/…/israel-losing-the-plot.htm…
Why check my IP? Just because we don't agree. There is room in the world for more than one opinion and sometimes John yours might not actually be right.
No, because someone is organizing a propaganda campaign and you seem to be parroting it.
I could argue plenty of what you said is propaganda but I don't I respect your view and argue against it. because I don't agree with you I must be doing something sinister or represent some kind of conspiracy? paranoia John, perhaps a trip to the doctor is in order...?
You comment anonymously, as what seems to be a new user, who has not commented here before. Then you go off with the MH comments. Think that shows your level of respect.
Hamas fires salvos of relatively unsophisticated, nonguided rockets into Israel in the hope that they might strike lucky and hit a military target. They have not had any success due mainly to Israeli anti-missile system but they have caused some minor damage. Sadly ONE Israeli has been killed because he did not reach the air raid shelter in time. Israel responds against a crowded civilian area, that is Gaza, with high-tech American precision weapons and kill many Palestinians, who are unable to flee and have nowhere to shelter from the bombardment. It's a bit like the Hungarian Uprising - stones and Molotov Cocktails against tanks
and flechette shells. SImilar to grape shot used against massed rank before WW1. In WW1 they need something deadlier. www.independent.co.uk/…/israelgaza-conflict-israeli-military-using-flechette-rounds-in-gaza-strip-9617480.html…
Israel is an illegal state bombing kids and other innocents because they want to take their homes away from them Any other country would've been obliterated by American forces by now. Well done to the Biennial FREE PALESTINE.
Liverpool Biennial - why do you bring shame to our city by taking money off these fascists. No other Embassy has been tapped, says a lot about the involvement of this one at this time.
Let us all remember that the Zionist state of Israel was created from there terrorism targeted at the British forces in Palestine were two Redcaps were shot dead and then hung and booby trapped with explosives
why? how does that help.
How about we all remember that some people thought the world was flat? It's about as relevant
It is relevant because Israeli was not built on the moral high ground but on a mound of corpses.
Ah, bit like the British Empire? But we've moved on. Dwelling in the past and bearing grudges is part of the problem, not the solution. Look ahead
We have but Israel has not that past it is dwelling in is about 340AD and it like the British Empire at the height of its power telling the colonies to stop living in the past and get used to being colonies.