This is normally Melanie’s territory and it is disgraceful. The chain of events seems to be this:
1. The Edinburgh International Film Festival invites Israeli film-maker Tali Shalom-Ezer to show his her* short film Surrogate in Edinburgh.
2. The Israeli Embassy in London contributes £300 to help pay for Shalom-Ezer to come to the Scottlnd.
3. The so-called Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign objects to this and threatens to picket the festival.
4. EIFF says, “do your worst”.
5. SPSC do just that, recruiting Ken Loach who calls for a boycott of the festival.
6. EIFF caves and returns the donation to the Israelis.
The sum involved is, of course, trivial. What is objectionable is the behaviour of EIFF who’ve succumbed to Loach’s bullying. Here’s the key bit:
Mr Loach released a statement through the SPSC which read: “I’m sure many film-makers will be as horrified as I am to learn the Edinburgh International Film Festival is accepting money from Israel.
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