1,000 Artists Stand Against Boycott of Israeli Writers and Publishers

A thousand artists, including celebrated musicians, authors, and intellectuals, have joined forces to oppose a petition calling for the boycott of Israeli publishers, book fairs, and literary organizations. The petition, organized by the Palestine Festival of Literature and Fossil Free Books, demands boycotts against any Israeli cultural institution or organization that has not condemned the Israel Defense Forces’ operations against Hamas following the October 7 attacks. The petition labels these organizations as “complicit in genocide.”

Among those taking a stand against the boycott are high-profile figures like Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, French intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy, and Booker Prize-winning author Howard Jacobson. Their protest counters a growing movement to boycott Israeli cultural institutions and individuals that, according to the petition’s signatories, support what they call “apartheid and displacement.” Some prominent supporters of the boycott include authors Sally Rooney and Arundhati Roy, journalist Owen Jones, and actress Miriam Margolyes.

The petition's language expresses a commitment to avoid working with individuals and organizations that support “discriminatory policies and practices” or contribute to “whitewashing” Israel’s actions. In response, Jacobson remarked he was “staggered” by the boycott’s intent to “silence other writers,” calling the move a troubling restriction on freedom of expression in the arts.

Members of the Jewish publishing community, speaking anonymously, expressed concerns about the impact of these boycotts on their industry, describing the initiative as something that could further alienate those already feeling uneasy in the literary world. “This will make people who already feel uncomfortable [in publishing] even more deeply uncomfortable,” one publisher noted.

The Creative Community for Peace, an organization advocating against cultural boycotts, denounced the pressure on Israeli and Jewish authors who have faced harassment or exclusion from literary events. The organization highlighted incidents where book readings were shut down, authors were removed from festival lineups, and a trade publication declined to advertise a book with “Israel” in the title to avoid offending its audience.

As tensions rise, these artists’ unified response signals a defense of artistic freedom and an effort to prevent ideological boycotts from stifling creative expression. For updates on this ongoing story and the global response, share this article or subscribe to our newsletter.