BDS is about justice and reminding people that music doesn’t exist in a vacuum, separate from the society and world around it.

Israel is an Apartheid state that segregates people based on their identity and commits Ethnic Cleansing on a daily basis against Palestinians on the occupied territories and also its own Arab minority, planning to ethnically clean at least 40 000 Bedouins, Israeli citizens, from their Negev villages into townships described by Israeli NGOs as “garbage dumps”. Already existing townships have 70 % unemployment and lack basic services.

On the occupied territories Israel is concentrating Ethnic Cleansing at the moment on East Jerusalem and Jordan Valley, trying to force remaining Palestinian population out from this area comprising large part of West Bank and its most important agricultural areas. In the ongoing peace negotiatons Israel’s regime demands that it can control this area indefinitely. Occupation of Jordan Valley by Israel costs Palestinian economy 3.4 billion US dollars a year according to World Bank.

Telling facts to musicians about the state they plan to appear in is not harassment, its educating them about facts and reminding them that music is not separate from politics. If Israeli Jews still dislike of Wagner’s music because the Nazis liked promoted it, then they can have no complaints if advocates of human rights and freedom for Palestinians have a similar message to those who would be ready to appear in an Apartheid State.