{"id":216542,"date":"2020-11-15T08:52:07","date_gmt":"2020-11-15T08:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=216542"},"modified":"2020-11-17T07:53:23","modified_gmt":"2020-11-17T07:53:23","slug":"filmmakers-boycott-israels-pinkwashing-tlvfest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=216542","title":{"rendered":"Filmmakers boycott Israel\u2019s pinkwashing TLVFest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tamara Nassar \u2013 Electronic Intifada Nov 14, 2020<\/strong><\/h1>\n

More than a dozen filmmakers have heeded the Palestinian call to boycott TLVFest<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, the government-backed Tel Aviv International LGBTQ Film Festival.<\/span><\/p>\n

Six of the filmmakers also joined<\/a><\/strong><\/span> 170 other artists from around the globe who signed a pledge<\/strong><\/span><\/a> launched<\/a><\/strong><\/span> earlier this year to boycott the festival.<\/span><\/p>\n

TLVFest, taking place this month, has tightened its embrace of the far-right Israeli government this year, specifically the ministry of strategic affairs<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ministry is the lead agency in Israel\u2019s global effort<\/a><\/strong><\/span> to smear and sabotage the Palestinian rights movement around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

TLVFest is a cornerstone<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of Israel\u2019s propaganda strategy known as pinkwashing<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This deploys Israel\u2019s supposed enlightenment toward LGBTQ issues to deflect criticism<\/strong><\/span><\/a> from its human rights abuses and war crimes against Palestinians.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pinkwashing also aims to falsely present<\/a><\/strong><\/span> Tel Aviv as a safe place for Palestinians who seek same-sex relationships, while exaggerating or lying about dangers they face in their own society.<\/span><\/p>\n

The strategy is typically aimed at Western liberal audiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ministry sponsorship<\/h2>\n

The multi-million-dollar strategic affairs ministry is one of the festival\u2019s main sponsors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Staffed by officers from Israel\u2019s spy agencies, it wages a global war<\/strong><\/span><\/a> against BDS \u2013 the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the first filmmakers started to withdraw, TLVFest tried to hide its partnership with the ministry by obscuring its logo on the festival website<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

As filmmakers withdraw from TLVFest in support of the call from Palestinian queers, TLVFest:<\/p>\n

First tried to conceal its partnership with Israel's repressive Ministry of Strategic Affairs.<\/p>\n

Then removed the logo altogether.<\/p>\n

?150+ support the call: https:\/\/t.co\/nGrAG4CL9r<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/szQgUrafux<\/a><\/p>\n

— PACBI (@PACBI) November 4, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n