Amsterdam, Netherlands - Over 250 cultural organizations in the Netherlands and Belgium have announced a cultural boycott of Israel, protesting against the ongoing violence in Gaza. the coordinated action, beginning this week, includes commitments from the Museum of fine Arts Ghent and the Royal Flemish Schouwburg in Belgium, as reported by de Volkskrant.
More then 750 individual artists from both countries have also joined the boycott, including prominent figures such as artist Marlene Dumas, writer Tom Lanoye, poet Babs Gons, writer David van Reybrouck, writer and actor Ramsey Nasr, and singer Dinand woesthoff.The move reflects a growing international movement seeking too pressure Israel over its military actions and policies towards Palestinians.
Initiators of the boycott emphasize its largely symbolic power, hoping to impact Israel’s connection to Europe. “It goes through the heart of a country that feels connected to Europe and hopefully it will move something in motion,” Jeroen Bartelse of TivoliVredenburg told de Volkskrant. Theater critic Marijn Lems, a key organizer, highlighted the boycott’s connection to broader international efforts like “No Music For Genocide” and actor-led boycotts, aiming to encourage sporting, economic, academic, and political isolation.
The organizers cite the successful boycott of South Africa during apartheid as a ancient precedent, and are calling on other sectors – sports, academia, businesses, and politics – to sever ties with Israel.
Notably, major Amsterdam institutions like the Concertgebouw, Carré, the Rijksmuseum, and the Stedelijk Museum are not participating. Marie-José Raven, spokesperson for the Stedelijk Museum, stated the museum’s long-standing policy of remaining neutral on war and political conflicts, telling Trouw, “We see no role in this as a museum.”
