The following response by Ken Loach to Israeli director Tali Shalom Ezer (see her open letter to Ken Loach below) was sent to The Times on Saturday 23 May 2009. It was not published – instead this article was printed: Loach reignites Israeli film funding row Dear Tali Shalom Ezer From the beginning, Israel…
Armed Israeli police close theatre on first night of Palestinian festival Shortly before the opening event was due to begin, a squad of around a dozen Israeli border police walked into the Palestinian National Theatre, in East Jerusalem, and ordered it to be closed. Police brought a letter from the Israeli minister of internal security which…
Continue Reading Israel closes Palestinian festival as part of ‘ban on political activity’
We, and not you, are the children of Mala Zimetbaum and Marek Edelman, of Mordechai Anilevicz and Stephane Hessel, and we are conveying their message to humankind for custody in the hands of the Gaza resistance fighters: “We are fighting for our freedom and yours, for our pride and yours, for our human, social and…
The Scotsman, 23 May 2009 by Shan Ross ORGANISERS of the Edinburgh film festival apologised last night for the “distress” caused after it accepted cash from the Israeli embassy, sparking a major funding row. The controversy began after the £300 donation was earmarked to pay travel costs to the capital for Tali Shalom Ezer, the…
Continue Reading Film festival chief ‘sorry’ for row over Israeli cash
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign Statement Thursday 21 May, 2009 Ken Loach and the Edinburgh International Film Festival are to be congratulated for distancing the EIFF publicly from the unwelcome embrace of the State of Israel, a state now widely understood to be committing grave crimes against the Palestinian people. Many who would have stayed away…
Continue Reading Ken Loach & Scottish PSC oppose all racism. No exceptions.
The Scotsman, published Date: 19 May 2009 By EMILY PYKETT ORGANISERS of the Edinburgh International Film Festival have been forced to return a donation from the Israeli embassy after director Ken Loach waded into the funding row and called for people to boycott the event on political grounds. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) threatened…
Continue Reading Film festival hands back Israeli cash after director Loach calls for boycott