Cultural protest

Published on 16/08/2012 00:00

Edinburgh International 
Festival (EIF) director Jonathan Mills warns protesters not to disrupt the Batsheva Dance company’s performance in the Festival (your report, 14 August) yet supported inviting Israel’s culture minister to Holyrood’s Culture Summit.

Meanwhile, an Israeli state representative is invited to attend Batsheva’s performance.

It seems that culture is political only when used to justify an ­occupying, colonising and 
apartheid segregating regime, not when challenging it. It is a tragedy when art is ­desecrated, but the desecration has already occurred when ­artists legitimate a policy of ethnic cleansing which denies human dignity.

Those in charge of the EIF should, therefore, respect the boycott called for by Palestinian artists and cancel the invitation to these Israeli cultural 
ambassadors unless Batsheva turn against their paymasters and challenge Israel’s apartheid regime.

Eurig Scandrett

North Berwick

East Lothian