Last November, three Palestinians took to the stage during the opening ceremony of the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) in Amsterdam, holding a banner that read: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The festival director was observed clapping with a resounding applause erupting throughout the hall thereafter.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz described this incident as "an early indication of what may follow," discussing "the mounting perception that Israel is being marginalized," in an investigative piece published on Thursday evening titled "We are undesirable people...almost the devil... The global boycott of Israeli culture is on the rise.”

The newspaper confirmed that despite condemnation from Israeli filmmakers and the announcement of a festival boycott by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Authority, the situation escalated to "more perilous." It added that even though Israeli filmmakers condemned what happened, social media was broadcasting the truth. 

According to the newspaper, in the past five months up until today, nearly all major film festivals have been compelled to factor in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, to the point where every involvement of Israeli films or Israeli artists now harbors the potential for a scandal.

Read next: Four Norwegian unis. cut ties with Israeli unis. over Gaza genocide

The newspaper pondered the justification for any surprise at festival directors now opting to steer clear of Israeli films like the plague, or at members of the Israeli film industry finding themselves excluded and shunned.

The newspaper quoted Israeli film producer Avi Nesher, who remarked that "Israel" has now become the latest target of a global cultural boycott, expressing his misfortune for being in this situation. 

It further pointed out that the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movements and other pro-Palestinian organizations are working effectively in the cultural field, by pressuring festival directors to abstain from showcasing Israeli films, insisting that filmmakers withdraw their works from festivals featuring Israeli films, and organizing demonstrations and actions, including protests during festivals. Consequently, festival directors opt to sidestep the potential problems associated with screening Israeli films.

Boycott of the Jerusalem Writers’ Festival

The newspaper confirmed that even in the world of television series, where “Israel” was considered a superpower in recent years, the exclusion has become tangible, as Apple decided to postpone the broadcast of the third season of the “Tehran” series, which was scheduled to begin last month.

"Even the ordinary tasks have become challenging," the newspaper remarked, describing the effort to attract guests to the annual Jerusalem Writers’ Festival, the largest and most prominent literary event in "Israel," scheduled for the end of next May. It further explained that this matter posed difficulties for the organizers.

Throughout the 12 sessions of the festival, organizers encountered a notable number of rejections driven by political motives. This raises the question: how can they entice participants when the image of “Israel” is currently tarnished, with intellectuals leading the opposition against it?

Read next: Columbia Uni. withdraws deadline for dispersing pro-Palestine protests

Regarding hosting Israeli writers abroad, the newspaper discussed the evolution of attitudes from mild rejection of the idea to more stringent requirements. This includes mandating Israeli writers to declare their political worldview as a prerequisite for participation or outright canceling the hosting arrangement.

The newspaper highlighted a growing resistance trend among foreign writers, particularly the younger generation, who either directly oppose or resort to evasive tactics to avoid translating their books into Hebrew and publishing them in “Israel.”

The newspaper concluded saying, "The growing impression is that Israel has become a pariah."

Read next: Irish artists urge Bambie Thug to boycott Eurovision over 'Israel'