Palestinian group opposes Israeli-Palestinian orchestra playing at UN concert because Israeli musicians serve in army
Headline: "National and Non-Governmental Action Association demands that the UN coordinator cancel concert by Arab-Jewish orchestra"
"The National and Non-Governmental Action Association in Jerusalem expressed its outrage and condemnation after a call by UN Special Coordinator for the [Middle East] Peace Process, Robert Serry, to host an evening by the 'East-West Diwan' orchestra, under the baton of international artist Daniel Barenboim, on July 31, 2012 at the Augusta Victoria hospital on the Mount of Olives. In its press release, the association said: 'We hope that you will work to cancel this concert, since we fully understand the unique situation in the occupied city of Jerusalem.'
The press release said: 'As UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, you surely know that Israel blatantly violates international law and does not honor its agreements and promises .The best proof of this is that the Israeli occupation government has confiscated hundreds of acres in the area where the concert is to take place, in order to establish an Israeli military academy.' … The committee added in its statement: 'This orchestra, which prides itself on having Israeli and Arab musicians, and whose declared aim is to build bridges of normalization between them, without recognizing the right of the Palestinian people to self-definition and the right of return, and without [requiring that the Israeli] members of the orchestra refuse to serve in the Israeli army – is cleverly striving to enhance Israel's image by recognizing some Palestinian rights, while rejecting the most important of them."
Note: The following day, the PA daily reported that the Office of the UN Special Coordinator cancelled the concert. Click here to view the article in the PA daily.
"The National and Non-Governmental Action Association in Jerusalem expressed its outrage and condemnation after a call by UN Special Coordinator for the [Middle East] Peace Process, Robert Serry, to host an evening by the 'East-West Diwan' orchestra, under the baton of international artist Daniel Barenboim, on July 31, 2012 at the Augusta Victoria hospital on the Mount of Olives. In its press release, the association said: 'We hope that you will work to cancel this concert, since we fully understand the unique situation in the occupied city of Jerusalem.'
The press release said: 'As UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, you surely know that Israel blatantly violates international law and does not honor its agreements and promises .The best proof of this is that the Israeli occupation government has confiscated hundreds of acres in the area where the concert is to take place, in order to establish an Israeli military academy.' … The committee added in its statement: 'This orchestra, which prides itself on having Israeli and Arab musicians, and whose declared aim is to build bridges of normalization between them, without recognizing the right of the Palestinian people to self-definition and the right of return, and without [requiring that the Israeli] members of the orchestra refuse to serve in the Israeli army – is cleverly striving to enhance Israel's image by recognizing some Palestinian rights, while rejecting the most important of them."
Note: The following day, the PA daily reported that the Office of the UN Special Coordinator cancelled the concert. Click here to view the article in the PA daily.