Rap pioneer Gil Scott-Heron is scheduled to go to Israel for one performance on May 25 in Tel Aviv’s Barbie club. What follows is an open letter we wrote to him to ask him to cancel that gig in line with his humanitarian stance as he did against Apartheid South Africa.

Thursday April 22, 2010

Dear Gil,

We write to urge you not to perform in Israel next month. This is done in the name of millions of Palestinians living under an Apartheid system no different (and probably worse) than the system that existed in South Africa before Nelson Mandela liberated his land. We urge you to stand by justice for the Palestinians who have suffered for 62 years of colonial occupation under the Zionist Israeli regime. You know it. You have seen it. You saw Gaza last year and you saw what Israel did there. If you stand for justice and international law, then you will stand up for the Palestinian people.

Do not let commercial interests stand in the way of a decision that can be courageous and pro-active. If you do have to go, then say something courageous about Israeli inhumanity and injustice. Call for the end of occupation and do not be afraid. Mandela was never afraid to say what he believed in. Your art has no boundaries.

We hope you will stand up for justice in Palestine.

Antoine Raffoul
Coordinator
1948: LEST WE FORGET
www.1948.org.uk