: Israel Facing Economic Crisis, International Isolation

Ha’aretz reports that even “the residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza” (ie the settlers) will be feeling the money pinch. Settlers face fewer income tax breaks in the new budget. On the cultural front, everyone from Depeche Mode to Jerry Seinfeld has been cancelling shows in Israel due to fear for the security situation. Zubin Mehta, the director of Israel’s premier orchestra, estimates that over 50% of foreign artists refuse to come to Israel because they’re scared. Organizers nixed even the Tel Aviv film festival this year because nobody wanted to come. Some groups, like Belgium’s Rwanda ’94, who were invited to the prestigious Israel Festival this year canceled on principle: they protested Israeli treatment of Palestinians. Israel’s national soccer team can’t even play its home games in the Land of Zion. The European Soccer Body UEFA in March required Israel’s home games to be played on the island of Cyprus. Israel’s growing isolation has even spread to another front, as several Norwegian supermarkets distinctly label Israeli products so shoppers can decide to support occupation or not. Finally, an Internet petition has called on artists and musicians to “cancel all exhibitions and other cultural events that are scheduled to occur in Israel” because “the art world must speak out against the current Israeli war crimes and atrocities.”

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.