“Every house in Gaza is filled with antisemitic, anti-Jewish propaganda—from pictures of ‘martyrs’ to stickers reading ‘With blood and fire we’ll reach Jerusalem.’ A bunch of privileged people echoing stupidity, ignorance, and lies. There is no army in the world operating in such a densely populated area with so few civilian casualties. That’s a fact. Go check.”
Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar also weighed in via his X account, posting: “I chose to respond to the artists who signed this delusional letter only after the Tisha B’Av fast ended. Here’s my position: In a misguided effort to appeal to a very small segment of Israeli society and in the name of distorted morality, you shame and humiliate a massive public—our reservists, our soldiers, and above all, those who fell or were murdered, sanctifying God’s name. This evening should be a time for true soul-searching. Withdraw your disgraceful signatures. Take a page from Moran Atias and Idan Amedi, who represent the sanity and patriotism you’ve sadly lost.”
Eyal Sher, director of the Israel Festival and one of the organizers of the petition, responded to the backlash: “A message to all the critics: take a moment to zoom out and engage with the essence. The petition isn’t intended to cause division or stir conflict among different groups in Israeli society. It aims to express values of humanity, compassion, and a desire to end the war, bring the hostages home, and begin healing and recovery, both in Israel and the region.”
The petition, titled “A declaration from the cultural community: Stop the horrors in Gaza”, reads: “We, artists and cultural figures in Israel, find ourselves—against our will and our values—complicit as Israeli citizens in the horrifying events taking place in Gaza: the killing of children and non-combatants, starvation, population displacement, and the senseless destruction of Gazan cities. We call on those responsible for setting and executing this policy: Stop! Do not issue or obey illegal orders! Do not, heaven forbid, commit war crimes! Do not abandon human morality and the ethical values of Judaism! End the war. Release the hostages.”
