3,000 U.K. Artists Sign On To Letter Condemning Israeli Strikes, Ignoring Hamas Attacks

 Some 3,000 actors and actresses from the United Kingdom — including “Dr. Strange” actress Tilda Swinton and comedian and actor Steve Coogan — have signed on to an open letter condemning Israeli retaliatory strikes and ignoring the brutal attacks committed nearly two weeks ago by Hamas terrorists.

The letter, posted by the organization Artists for Palestine U.K., begins with an outright attack on Israel — with no mention of the terrorist attacks to which Israeli forces have been responding.

We are witnessing a crime and a catastrophe. Israel has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, and cut off the supply of water, power, food and medicine to 2.3 million Palestinians. In the words of the UN’s undersecretary for humanitarian affairs, “the spectre of death” is hanging over the territory.

The letter goes on to lament the plight of civilians who live in Gaza — again making no mention of the widespread support Hamas enjoys from Palestinian civilians living there and blaming Israel alone for enacting “collective punishment” on the population.

“Our governments are not only tolerating war crimes but aiding and abetting them,” they said of nations standing in support of Israel. “There will come a time when they are held to account for their complicity. But for now, while condemning every act of violence against civilians and every infringement of international law whoever perpetrates them, our obligation is to do all we can to bring an end to the unprecedented cruelty being inflicted on Gaza.”

“We support the global movement against the destruction of Gaza and the mass displacement of the Palestinian people. We demand that our governments end their military and political support for Israel’s actions,” the letter concluded. “We call for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of Gaza’s crossings to allow humanitarian aid to enter unhindered.”

 

In addition to Swinton and Coogan, other signatories included “A Mighty Heart” director Michael Winterbottom, “Harry Potter” actress Miriam Margolyes, and Scottish actor Peter Mullan — along with a host of visual artists, playwrights, poets, and more.