Online Petition Urges Bon Jovi to Cancel Performance in Israel
Earlier this month, The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), a member of the BDS National Committee, launched a petition urging the members of Bon Jovi to “reconsider their concert in apartheid Israel, until Israel complies with international law and respects the rights of the indigenous Palestinian people.” The change.org petition has garnered more than 2,400 of the 2,500 signatures needed.
In a strongly-worded letter to the popular, American rock band, PACBI describes some of the crimes Israel has committed against the Palestinian people, citing statistics that specifically demonstrate the enormous economic despair caused by these crimes. As mentioned in the letter, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul foundation is committed to combating issues that cause hunger, homelessness and economic despair.
The letter also described the complicity of the hosting production company, BlueStone Productions, in the occupation, listing some of the crimes committed by its clients, which include Motorola and Hewlett-Packard (HP).
The letter concludes by comparing the cultural boycott of Israel to apartheid South Africa several decades ago, and reminds the band that this is an opportunity to “make a firm statement against apartheid, systematic impoverishment and military occupation.”
Earlier this year a group of over 700 British artists announced that they accept the call made by Palestinian artists and cultural workers for a cultural boycott of Israel “until it complies with international law and universal principles of human rights.” In May, American hip-hop artist Lauryn Hill cancelled a performance in Israel after having difficulty scheduling a show in Ramallah, stating that she would rather seek an alternate strategy that would bring her music to the region without excluding Palestinian fans.
Bon Jovi was previously scheduled to perform in Israel as part of their 2011 world tour, but the performance was cancelled after similar pressure from BDS activists. Bon Jovi has not responded to the petition and the performance is still scheduled for October 3rd.
