עצומה לביטול צוי איסור יציאה מהארץ לאמן חאלד ג׳ראר

To:

Culture Minister, Mrs. Limor Livnat,

Israeli Ambassador in Finland, Mr. Dan Ashbel

Head of the Civil Administration, Brigadier General David Menachem

We, Israeli artists, curators and culture creators, condemn the prohibition on leaving the country, which was imposed on the Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar, preventing him from attending his exhibition openings abroad.

About a month ago, Jarrar was supposed to leave Israel in order to attend the opening of his exhibition at the New Museum in New York, and to give a workshop there. However, when he came to the Allenby crossing, he was told that he was not allowed to leave the country until August 1, thus he wasn't able to make it. On August 9, Jarrar tried to leave the country once again to Helsinki, where he was invited to create a new work and hold workshops and artist talks, but he was held up once again, and was told that the prohibition on leaving the country was extended until September 1. The Exhibition opening in Helsinky is scheduled for August 14, and we call upon Israel to take immediate action to cancel the order and allow Jarrar to attend. We demand that Israel will state publicly what are the reasons for not allowing Jarrar's travels, and if there is no such valid reason- to put a stop the these prohibitions now and in the future.

We strongly protest against the arbitrary and unjustified decision to harm the freedom of movement, freedom of expression and the livelihood of an artist who was invited to present his work in respected and renowned institutions world-wide. Khaled Jarrar was never charged with any offense, and no reasons were given to justify This decision. Therefore one must suspect that the reasons involve a policy that is directed at limiting and oppressing Palestinian artists.

As artists and cultural figures, we feel ashamed that our country acts in this manner. We can only imagine the frustration, anger and insult felt by an artist who was prohibited to visit his own exhibition and meet colleagues in other countries. We feel that such a degrading treatment of an established and respected artist, casts a dark shadow over our own work as Israeli artists, and destroys the chance of creating a dialogue and understanding between the Israeli and Palestinian society by means of peace and cultural discourse.

This case is another step down a dangerous and slippery slope , as part of a broader policy of arbitrary, degrading and discriminatory treatment of Palestinians in Israel. We also wish to point out that this is part of a wider deterioration of the freedom of expression in Israel: Recently many people were arrested or interrogated, Palestinians as well as Israelis, because of remarks on Facebook or participation in demonstrations, while they haven't engaged with anything violent or illegal.

Art is an important tool of expressing different opinions in a democracy. Freedom of expression should apply to everyone, regardless of religion, race or gender, even when it reflects social or political agendas. A country which forbids people from moving, creating, or making a living because of their religion or origin, or alternatively because they express a certain point of view, is not a democracy.

Signed: