Israeli poets and artists against cultural annihilation and the destruction of Gaza.

Arab Sea Newspaper - News Updates

Arab Sea - Follow-ups: Cultural workers in Tel Aviv organized a silent protest against the destruction of Gaza, demanding that cultural institutions and artists take action and not remain on the sidelines. Participants raised banners and pictures expressing the cultural genocide aimed at erasing Palestinian memory, stressing that the war has greatly destroyed buildings and cultural institutions in Gaza. Artists, musicians, authors, photographers, writers, and poets gathered near what is known as "Hostages Square," surrounded by famous cultural buildings such as the Cameri Theater, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Beit Ariela Library, and the Israeli Opera House. The protesters distributed leaflets to passersby stating: "We stand here today, artists, creators, and cultural workers, to raise our voices against the crimes committed in our name. Since the beginning of the war, more than 64,000 people have been killed in Gaza, and more than 160,000 have been injured, including dozens of artists, writers, and cultural activists." The activists wore black clothes and carried banners written in Hebrew, Arabic, and English with the words: "Cultural genocide is a war on memory." They also raised pictures of an engraving by Israeli artist Ruti Zinger, depicting an open mouth symbolizing unheard voices. The leaflets included: "Most of the buildings in Gaza have been completely destroyed, including cultural institutions that have been severely damaged. The destruction of culture is an act aimed at erasing collective memory and stripping Palestinian culture of its past and people's imagination." The leaflets also included a call for cultural institutions, intellectuals, artists, and cultural figures to "join us and stand against the destruction of Gaza, not just stand on the sidelines." In the midst of the protest, a group of musicians played a continuous single note, mimicking the sound of Israeli army drones over the heads of Palestinians in Gaza. As a tribute to the work of Ahmed Moein Abu Amsha, a musician and teacher residing in Gaza. The leaflet stated: "The sound of drones will not comfort the survivors in Gaza, it is always there, above their heads." Artist Adam Yekutieli, known as "Know Hope," who participated in the protest, said: "The genocide of Palestinians in Gaza not only takes lives, but also destroys culture." He added: "The deliberate destruction of museums, libraries, and archives aims to obliterate identity and erase collective memory."