Scottish National Poet Demands Boycott of Israeli Dancers

By Haaretz August 30, 2012

Liz Lochhead, the Scot’s Makar, or national poet has joined a group calling for a boycott of the Israeli dancing group Batsheva, set to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Pro-Palestinian activists have announced they would attempt to disrupt the opening performance on Thursday night, which was attended by Israel’s Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat.

The performance was disrupted four times as protestors within the auditorium shouted “Free Palestine” and had to be removed by security, after which the dancers resumed the performance.

The current atmosphere makes it increasingly difficult for Israeli groups to perform in Britain. Inviting Batsheva to take part in the festival drew harsh criticism from prominent culture figures in Scotland, including an online campaign entitled “Don’t dance with Israeli Apartheid.”

For more, go to Haaretz.com

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