A group of Nobel Peace Prize laureates joined artists and activists in signing an open letter calling for an international military boycott of Israel following this month’s Gaza conflict.

The letter, first reported by the Guardian, criticizes the United States and the European Union, as well as others, for providing support to Israel’s military that enabled the launch of its Operation Pillar of Defense on Gaza. The operation was launched to end escalated rocket fire on Israel from Gaza.

“While the United States has been the largest sponsor of Israel, supplying billions of dollars of advanced military hardware every year, the role of the European Union must not go unnoticed, in particular its hefty subsidies to Israel’s military complex through its research programs,” the letter said. It went on to chastise “the growing military ties between Israel and the emerging economies of Brazil, India and South Korea.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The 52 signers include Nobel Peace laureates Mairead Maguire, Nelson Mandela and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel; film directors Mike Leigh and Ken Loach; author Alice Walker; U.S. academic Noam Chomsky; and Roger Waters of the rock band Pink Floyd.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount