On Thursday August 9. Israeli airstrikes destroyed Said Al-Meshal Institution for Culture and Science, Gaza’s major cultural center that hosts, band rehearsals, a library and a children's cinema, and the second largest theater in Gaza strip.

This latest wanton attack is far from being an exception. It is only the latest episode in Israel’s systematic and intentional destruction of Palestinian cultural institutions.

In its ongoing attacks on Gaza, Israel has bombed theaters, libraries, museums, universities, stadiums, and tens of schools, after having largely destroyed the infrastructure of teaching and cultural activities throughout twelve years of its illegal and criminal siege of the densely populated Gaza Strip.

Al-Meshal Centre (shown before and after the airstrikes) is a detached five-story building that is clearly marked with the Center’s name. The building was reduced to rubble after being hit with eight rockets. Surrounding buildings have also sustained heavy structural damage.

We strongly believe that Israel’s targeting of cultural centers, civilian homes, schools, hospitals, ambulances, mosques, social and economic institutions, government buildings, law and order organs, UN humanitarian facilities and shelters, as well as higher education institutions should not go unpunished. Israel’s sense of unassailable impunity is a guaranteed recipe for repetition of its crimes and nourishing its genocidal tendencies.

Gaza Cultural Centers, together with other Gaza-based civil society organizations call for a wide campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel in response to its well documented, premeditated war crimes in Gaza.

In line with the statements issued by the Palestinian BDS National Committee, BNC, and the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), we condemn in the strongest possible terms Israel ‘s war crimes and acts of genocide in Gaza, the inhumane siege of Gaza as well as its attacks against the nonviolent protestors of the Great March of Return.

Israel’s wanton assaults have caused thousands of fatalities, injuries and caused hundreds of thousands more particularly children, women and elderly to suffer from chronic diseases, stunted growth, severe malnutrition and heightened risk of mortality.

Specifically, and as a minimal response to these Israeli atrocities and grave violations of international law and the most basic human rights, we call on cultural figures, intellectuals, cultural workers and institutions around the world to intensify the boycott of all Israeli academic and cultural institutions to help putting an end to Israel’s impunity and holding it accountable. This is the moral responsibility of every conscientious human being today

Signed by:

Cultural Organizations

General Union of Cultural Centres (GUCC)

afkar association for developing and improving youth abilites

Al Dayar Theater Group

Al Majed women's association

Al-Feneeq Theatre group

Arts & Crafts Village

Association for culture,art and popular heritage

Aura Society

Basma Institute of culture and arts

Bureij Cultural Forum

CIVITAS INSTITUTE

Culture Association For Protection Heritage

Dar elShabab Center for Culture & Arts

Adam Centre for Dialogue of Civilizations

Palestine Institute of Culture and Media Diir Al-Balah - PACM

The Culture and Free Thought Association

Theatre Day productions (TDP)

Theatre for everybody

The Palestinian Association for Heritage’s Development and Protection

Al Taghreed Association for Culture, Development

Culture, Arts and Heritage Association

Dar Al shabab for Culture and Arts

Gaza Center for Culture and Arts

Cultural Forum for Youth

Cultural Bureij Forum

Cultural Al Maghazi Center

Cultural and Social Deir Al Balah Center

Al Karam Complex for Culture and Arts

Cultural Unity Association

Tawasul for Youth and Culture

Gaza Center for Culture and Arts

Asalah Commission for Palestinian Popular Heritage

Al-Maghazi Cultural Center

University Teachers’ Association

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