Deep Purple, Please do not collaborate with racism, apartheid and occupation

Dear Deep Purple

We are a group of Israeli citizens. We have been fans of your music for many years. We support the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel (BDS). The movement is based on a non-violent approach towards ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, and it is based on international law. Together with our Palestinian partners, we are calling on you to respect the request by Palestinian civil society not to perform in Israel until the Palestinians most basic human rights are respected by the State of Israel: Ending the occupation, dismantling the settlements, ending the racist discrimination against Israel's Palestinian citizens within the 1967 borders, and respecting the Palestinian refugees' right of return. We know that in your position in life you've been through a lot, and seen a lot. Please think of the Palestinian youths living under Israeli occupation -- youths who do not even have the freedom to come and see your concert. Neither the freedom of movement. Nor the freedom to demonstrate against the Israeli army. Nor the freedom to live as equal human beings. All that many of these youths can see is a 10-meter wall surrounding them, and much of their land, stolen from them, on the other side. Their opportunities in life have been stolen from them, as well as the ability to live free and feel safe. Most of the Israelis who will come to your concert need not think about the oppression caused by their government and supported -- either explicitly or tacitly -by them. If you choose not to play, you will be raising their awareness to what is happening in our "backyards."

Please do not collaborate with racism, apartheid and occupation, and with a false Business as usual approach! Please respect the Palestinian call for boycott -- and come play here only when a just peace, based on international law, has been reached. Sincerely, Adi Dagan Alex Coh Assaf Kintzer Ayala Shani David Nir Dorothy Naor Emily Schaeffer Elian Weizman Eytan Lerner Gal lugassi Herzl Schubert Iris Hefets Jonathan Pollak Jonatan Stanczak Leehee Rothschild Naomi Lyth Neta Golan Ofer Neiman Oshra Bar Sahar Vardi Tal Shapira Yana Ziferblat Yonatan Shapira Rachel Giora Renen Raz Ronnie Barkan Shir Hever Yael Lerer

source: http://www.boycottisrael.info/content/deep-purple-please-do-not-collaborate-racismapartheid-and-occupation