Actress Emma Thompson Calls for Ban on Israeli Theater Over ‘Illegal Colonization of Occupied Land’
- Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:42am by
Billy Hallowell
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Actress Emma Thompson is joining three dozen of her fellow actors and industry professionals to protest the participation of an Israeli theater in an upcoming Shakespeare festival in England. Thompson, a two-time Oscar winner, signed on to a letter that expresses “dismay and regret” that Tel Aviv’s Habimah theater will be a part of the Globe to Globe festival.
The Israeli theater was invited to the festival to perform “The Merchant of Venice” this upcoming May. The directors, actors and writers — including Thompson — who signed on allege that Habimah has “a shameful record of involvement with illegal Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The letter continues:
Last year, two large Israeli settlements established “halls of culture” and asked Israeli theatre groups to perform there. A number of Israeli theatre professionals – actors, stage directors, playwrights – declared they would not take part.
Habima, however, accepted the invitation with alacrity, and promised the Israeli minister of culture that it would “deal with any problems hindering such performances”. By inviting Habima, Shakespeare’s Globe is undermining the conscientious Israeli actors and playwrights who have refused to break international law.
While the performers said they have no problem with inclusiveness and with having the Hebrew language be included in the festival, they allege that Habimah isn’t an appropriate theater to bring into the fold. Commentary’s Jonathan Tobin writes the following about the letter and the controversy surrounding Habimah:
Let’s understand what’s at work in this vile letter. Habimah, as even Thompson and her cohorts surely know, is not exactly a bulwark of the Israeli right. If anything, it is, like the rest of the Israeli arts community, very much part of the country’s left and no friend to the settlement movement. Indeed, its choice to perform Shakespeare’s anti-Semitic “Merchant of Venice” at the Globe is a decision that many Jews would question. But by not agreeing to join in a boycott of a theater constructed in Ariel (a large town located not far from the green line), Habimah is, in the eyes of Israel-haters like Thompson, equally guilty.
The letter concludes with the entertainers asking that the Globe to Globe rescind the Israeli invitation “so that the festival is not complicit with human rights violations and the illegal colonization of occupied land.”
(H/T: The Times of Israel)
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Comments (222)
progressiveslayer
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:29amIt’s a requirement in Hollyweird that you be dense to live and work there and this tool is yet another example of such idiocy.
Report Post »AndYetItMoves
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:34pmIt would probably seem less dense to you if you stepped back and realized that this is simply another case in which religious idiocy is exercising a veto on peace and progress for humanity. Nobody cares about the history, nobody cares about the bible, the torah, or the qu’ran. The sobering truth is that a guerilla war is being fought over two competing delusions, and the best part is that christians in this country (clever and discerning as they are) have been convinced over the past forty or so years that they actually have a horse in this race. What a joke.
Report Post »Realist4U
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:50pmAmen! Emma is nothing but a “tool” of the Left.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 4:18pmSo calling for Israel to actually consider and make reasonable compromise to achieve peace means someone is a Israel hater. The whole situation is a joke. The pre 1967 boarders are the legitimate boarders and Israel should honor them. What would be the action of an honorable people.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 4:33pmNo one hates the Jews more than… someone in denial of their own Jewish roots!
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 4:38pmWhy do libs have a soft spot in their hearts for the native American, but not the Jew?
I can tell you why. Most libs are atheist, and they despise God, and hate the bible. The Bible goes contradictory to their heathen lifestyle.
The Jews returning to Palestine, and being one nation (not Judah and Israel) fulfills Bible prophecy.
Christianity is the only religion in the world that has real prophecy, and prophecy that actually comes true. When over 40 authors over a couple thousand years tell the same story, it scares libs. To see Bible come to fruition through the nations of Israel, puts a real damper in lib thinking.
Report Post »ICEDRAGONNITE
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:29pmAnd not to be concerned about the facts.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:29pm@Jrook
Report Post »67 borders legitimate? A border is nothing more than a line that the parties on both sides recognize as the end of their respective territories. Since the Arabs refused to recognize Israel at all in 1948, the line you speak of is nothing more than an armistice line, which dictates where the respective armies were at the time. If that defines a legitimate border than Germany shouldn’t even exist today. Until there is a treaty negotiated that dictates where the borders are there are no legitimate borders.
Crush_Liberalism
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:37pmIt is a requirement to not know what the h3ll is truly going on in the world and to side with ANYTHING liberal, regardless of how little they know, or how much they THINK they know. If Hollywood liberals have their panties in a knot about ANY issue, it is often a good idea to take the opposite stance (the obvious genocide in Darfur and helping Haiti notwithstanding).
Report Post »Why isn’t this hag bag all pi$$ed off about the masses of innocent Arab women and children blown to PIECES by roadside bombs planted by Arab Taliban fighters? (Notice, those Taliban fighters claim to be committed to avenging the slaughter of 16 civilians by a lunatic soldier who had serious issues, but they don;t seem to vow to avenge the THOUSANDS to Arab deaths that THEY have xaused with their indiscriminate bombs?).
This ****** actress doesn’t seem to say anything about that???
pearlofaguitar
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:16pmAgreed! Stupid bunch those hollyweirds are!
Report Post »NCREPUB
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:25amhttp://www.reallyreality.com/f10/black-folk-dont-know-how-run-no-nation-1463/
Report Post »TruthSeeker11111
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:22amEm should keep her foreign mouth shut and relocate to her native country. How dare the communist slimeballs open their dispicable mouths?
God Bless America and Our Beloved Israel! Shalom.
Newt 2012*****
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:46amEmma who?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:58am.
I thought the Jews ran Hollywood? How do these Racist keep getting Hired?………
Wait a minute Soros is Jewish, so all the Jews in Hollywood would send their people to the “Showers”. Now that’s taking PC to a whole new level…….
Report Post »CougarNick78
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:06amThompson, what a bloody moron.
Hey Emma, re-read history. Israel and Palestine WERE BOTH offered a two-stated deal in 1947 and back in the 1930s. The Jews were game, but the Arabs were not. For them and their muftis it’s ALL or NOTHING.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:28amThere’s an easy solution for this, then Israel should conquer the entire mid-east.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:31amHeck it ain’t no secret, just like the solar system is controlled by the orbits of the biggest planets, people with the biggest guns control the land.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:31am@ASHESTOASHES
Exactly! Emma who? She’s won 2 Oscars? For what?
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:37amYa know, actually there is no such thing as debt between one man and another man, make me President for one year, and I make them wish they never told me I owe them interest.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:41amBecause when one man does something for another man both understanding there is no debt, then it is out of the goodness of their heart, and neither should expect interest. I guess then, the Lord of the earth should expect interest from them, and it‘s gonna be a lot because they aren’t worth very much.
zman173rd
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:09amANOTHER actress I enjoyed but will no longer pay any attention to. I pay you to Entertain me not to preach or “enlighten” me with your political views. You hold no political office and aren’t running for anything. FIx YOUR problems with northern Ireland and Free Scotland. Looser.
Report Post »badge02812
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:27amTime for a complete unhollywood boycott of all movies and then a rolled up newspaper upside the head for good measure.
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:45amEmma Thompson forgot that she is at her best when she’s delivering lines that other, smarter people have written for her to say. Now that she’s off-script, the world can see she is a racist myopic puppet of radical Islam, the Globalists, and the socialists. She obviously knows nothing about history, or worse – doesn‘t care because history and facts don’t line up with her twisted politics.
Emma Thompson FAIL.
Report Post »TheCoffinMaker
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 11:11amWhat does she mean?
…like the illegal colonization by the Mexicans into America?
Report Post »Linda2955
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:20pmyawn–nuther hollywood fool
Report Post »Warrior4Zion
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:38pmIt‘s time for these liberals to come to realize that the Jews are God’s chosen people and they have been given absolute authority on the Earth. You don’t question the Jews people you just Bless them as the Lord commands in his Holy Word! These liberals are just ignorant of the Bible and a little bit anti-Semetic in my opinion. Amercica has been given a divine order to protect the Jews. If we don’t protect Israel who will? Do you think China or Russia will protect them? America must take a stand against all the enemies of God no matter the cost.
Report Post »AndYetItMoves
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:40pmConsidering the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary on these threads, it really does warm my heart that so many blazers have the gall to question other people’s intelligence. It’s not every day that you find a group of citizens that are equally distrustful of intellectuals as they are convinced of their own brilliance and clairvoyance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_intelligence
Report Post »metroryder
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:22amI don’t get it…most films, plays and entertainment shows are produced and financed by Jewish people. Are there Jewish people in the industry who don’t support the Jewish cause and the Jewish State of Israel? Are they content with the idea of another holocaust? Oui!
Report Post »TruthSeeker11111
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:24amExcellent point. And Y*E*S there are too many Jews who despise Israel!
Report Post »GeorgeWashingtonslept here
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:34amI call them “JINO’S”…………Jews in name only.! Seriously.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:39amAsk Harvey Weinstein—He declared months ago that BHO would win the election.
OMG 2012
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:34amLike Rush says, liberals are liberals first! Then they are black, white, hispanic, feminists, gay evinormentalists, PASTORS, PRIESTS, JEWS second.
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:19amWow, she must have a movie soon to be released, or a book or similar.
It’s sad when people that were brought to know better, and should know better, don’t.
Report Post »DLCraig
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:13amSo sad… She always seemed far too bright to fall for such foolishness.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:33amObviously .. she was acting … she is not “bright”.
I went to school with a girl who was the fastest typist I had ever seen .. and as dumb as a rock .. I think it was because nothing was being “processed” from her eyes to her fingers .. no brain to slow her down .. SAME THING!
Report Post »momrules
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:39amA lot of true colors are starting to be unveiled. Thompson just showed hers.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:09amI didn’t seem to hear her speak out against the Muslims that stone 13 year old rape victims. Or the fact that a daughter to a Muslim has no more human rights than cattle.
Report Post »TruthSeeker11111
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:27amEm is a typical liar. I suggest the slimeballs leave America IF they hate Her so much. I’d be willing to cover the cost of a few enemies within. Would’nt you?
God Bless America and Our Beloved Israel and their leaders!
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:13pmNo and you never will. They find the muslims to be “oppressed” even while running their own countries. If we could have just “talked” with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi he wouldn’t have felt the need to cut peoples heads off. If WE were reasonable muslims would educate their women and allow them to vote. Maybe, even drive or go shopping by themselves.
Report Post »JustPeachy
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:08amSince I can’t quite wrap my brain around the fact that some people really ARE this stupid, I have to say this is likely just bigotry. There isn’t a country on the globe that could not be accused of “illegal colonization.” All throughout history, people have taken land from one another–and whoever was victorious in battle, got the land. Period. End of story–that’s history! So if we’re going to demand that one country “give back” land some other country feels it is entitled to, then we ALL have to move–we ALL have to give up our land–PERIOD.
Does this lady and others who think like her want the US to do likewise?!? And if not, why not? And if so, what is she boycotting here?!?
Again, I cannot believe people are truly this dense (but maybe they are!), so my guess is this is all an excuse for bigotry. But they are really stupid for trying to cover it up THIS way! LOL
Tired of it. I agree. They all need to just shut up and act or do whatever it is they do!
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:12amLady?
Report Post »RVNmaddog
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:05amEmma who?
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:11pmGood point, Emma Who?
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:04amThompson in 2008
Thompson is a supporter of Greenpeace. It was announced on 13 January 2009 that, with three other members of the organisation, she had bought land near the village of Sipson, under threat from a proposed third runway for Heathrow Airport.[11] It was hoped that possession of the land, half the size of a football pitch, would make it possible to prevent the government from carrying through its plan to expand the airport.
Bought for an undisclosed sum from a local land owner, the plot was to be split into small squares and sold across the globe. Thompson said, “I don’t understand how any government remotely serious about committing to reversing climate change can even consider these ridiculous plans. It’s laughably hypocritical. That‘s why we’ve bought a plot on the runway. We’ll stop this from happening even if we have to move in and plant vegetables.”[12]
[edit] Political and religious views
Thompson has said of her religious and political views: “I’m an atheist; I suppose you can call me a sort of libertarian anarchist. I regard religion with fear and suspicion. It‘s not enough to say that I don’t believe in God. I actually regard the system as distressing: I am offended by some of the things said in the Bible and the Qur’an and I refute them.”[13] Despite this, she says that the guiding moral principles, ethical principles and much of the philosophy of Christianity is very good and that she celebrates Christmas.[14]
Report Post »————–
The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:09amSo, she is a greenpeace’r, an athiest, a member of the labor party, pro-palestinian…and is offended by parts of the bible and the quran and refutes them. I wonder if she realizes that her peaceful, poorly treated palestinian friends would stone her to death for that statement?
Report Post »KrebsCyclist
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:38amEmma Thompson: fashionably anti-Semitic idiot
Report Post »Sdegan
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:03amRelevant Erudition: http://conjectureandconsequence.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/the-secular-west-and-israel/
Report Post »seer
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:32amVery good link…
Report Post »Mgindi26
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:57amSdegan,
Your link provides the most infomative information on the subject of Israel and the historical root for the latent anti-semitism found in both progressives and libertarian anarchists. I was completely absorbed by the linked article. It is well thought out and well written. I highly reccomend everyone to follow the link and to share it with people you know. And especially with parents high school seniors and college freshman so that they can best prepare their children for the onslaught of progressivism that goes on in college today.
Thank you so much for sharing the link it was the best read i ever associated with this site.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:02amThis “IS” why these idiots are pretenders. They have to have some one else hand them something coherent to say, (script) other wise mindless gibberish “IS” all that drools from their mouths.
Sadly, it then becomes ‘news’ for some reason.
Report Post »marthasusan40
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:02amToo bad, add her to my growing list……I would have imagined that she was well informed, apparently she is not….
Report Post »obfuscatenot
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:09amMy thoughts exactly. ….the remains of a career.
Report Post »Kimber_45
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:01amBoycot everything from these LOSERs that haven’t a clue!
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:00amEmma who?
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:59amAdd one more idiot to my list of no-watch. I’m not sure why these actors continue to torpedo their own careers. Self-loathing? Fear of success? Life in a bubble?
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:03amMine also … pretty soon I will have no one besides Jon Voight and a few other PATRIOTS to watch.
My God these people are idiots.
Report Post »bree001
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:58amCome on people, get the word out and boycott Hollywood. The only way we are going to send a clear message is by hurting them in the pocketbook. It’s not that hard to not go to the movies or rent them. Support movies like Monumental, October Baby, and Courageous. Then we will see more movies like this and we will be supporting something good not evil. When you give evil money and power you have no room to complain about it. I haven‘t been to the movies in several months except to see Monumental and I don’t rent movies. http://www.brendasblog7.com
Report Post »seer
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:58amI love her work, to bad she is so misinformed. We can show, in history, a Jewish state (much larger than today) that goes back three thousand years. There has never been a “Palestinian” state in all of history. When Egypt ruled the Gaza strip and Jordan the West Bank (Trans-Jordan) neither country even considered allowing the Palestinians to have their own state.
Report Post »mjazzguitar
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:24amGaza and the “west bank” were not considered by the PLO to be part of palestine. Until 1967. Then they changed their minds.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:57amPeople are dying every day over this Israel/Palestine/Iran/America entanglement…and we’re caring that some overpaid attention wh0res, with awards from their fellow overpaid attention wh0res, think about taking the stage with other overpaid attention wh0res?
Gee…before I say more, I should probably check to see what Matt Damon, Sean Penn, Jaenene Garafalo…and whatever other knucklehead thinks about this highly important issue.
Why…next thng you know, the extreme skateboarder association will call for a boycott of the upcoming olympics.
Report Post »Moozmom
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:56amToo bad. One more star on the list of those I will never again purchase a ticket or rent their movie or watch an awards program in which they participate.
Report Post »The pickings are getting slim, folks. No more movies for me.
momrules
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:46amMe too Moozmom. I am almost reduced to only watching old John Wayne movies.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:56am.
SpankDaMonkey Calls for Ban on Stupid Actors……………….
Ya’ll Please Shut Up!!!!! Just Act…………..
Report Post »blanco5
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:54amWho?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:51amOne more anti semetic leftist traitor of the nation.
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:58amHer or the Jews that voted for Obama?
Report Post »gbfreak
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:17amBoth!
Report Post »Watchyer6
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:50amShe’s an idiot.
Report Post »ColoradoMaverick
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:50amLiberal hypocrite bigot.
Report Post »