Dear Ryan Fleur, Matthew Loden, and ​Yannick Nézet-Séguin​,

We are a group of artists, scholars and human rights advocates from the Philadelphia area and beyond,
writing to urge you to cancel upcoming performances of The Philadelphia Orchestra in Israel this June. It
troubles us that one of Philadelphia’s most celebrated cultural institutions will participate in the Israeli
government’s “​Brand Israel​” propaganda strategy, which employs ​arts and culture to ​divert attention
from decades of Israel’s military occupation and denial of basic rights to the indigenous Palestinian
population. The aims of “Brand Israel” were ​articulated by an official​ from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in the New York Times: “​We will send well-known novelists and writers overseas, theater
companies, exhibits…This way you show Israel’s prettier face.”

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s trip to Israel, with heavy involvement of government officials, is part and
parcel of this strategy. ​We therefore urge you to cancel your trip to Israel.

Your website indicates that your​ ​visit​ ​is "in celebration of its [Israel’s] 70th anniversary,” but while you
celebrate with Israel, Palestinians will be mourning the​ ​Nakba,​ when Israel expelled over 750,000
indigenous Palestinians, and confiscated their properties, businesses, lands and heritage. Those
Palestinians and their descendants remain refugees today.

You also wrote that “Sharing the ‘Philadelphia Sound’ with audiences abroad is part of our commitment
to cultural diplomacy, using music to bring people and cultures together in ways that would not
otherwise take place.” You should know that Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, and
Palestinian refugees in the Diaspora, will not be permitted to attend your performances.

We question your communication team’s statement that the “tour [is not] a political mission.” As the
Israeli government welcomes your shows at the highest levels, ​its attacks against Palestinians, including
musicians and other artists, will go unabated. To give a few examples of Israel’s repression of Palestinian
culture: Israel prevented the opening of the Palestine Festival of Literature in Jerusalem in 2009, and the
Israeli army attacked the Festival’s final event in 2011 with tear gas. ​In 2011, Israeli commandos
assaulted the Freedom Theatre​ in occupied Jenin, arresting several of its members.​ ​Israeli soldiers have
repeatedly​ forced young musicians to “​perform​” for soldiers at military checkpoints. These are glimpses
of the ways in which Israel ​continues​ to assault Palestinian musicians, artists and writers.

In addition, your itinerary falsely lists the Old City as part of Israel. According to international law, East
Jerusalem--which includes the Old City--is occupied Palestinian territory, where Israel’s ethnic cleansing
has been most acute. Just ​this month, Israel introduced a ‘loyalty’ bill to expel Palestinians from
Jerusalem for “​breach of loyalty​” to the state, an Orwellian measure to dispossess the city of its
indigenous inhabitants.​ Another recent measure involved proposed legislation that would allow Israel to
confiscate lands and properties belonging to Christian churches, which led Palestinian denominations in
Jerusalem to ​close the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in protest​.
A recent ​United Nations report​ s​ tated that “evidence supports beyond a reasonable doubt the
proposition that Israel is guilty of imposing an apartheid regime on the Palestinian people, which
amounts to the commission of a crime against humanity.”

A global cultural boycott helped end apartheid in South Africa, and now Palestinian civil society has
called on international cultural institutions not to perform in Israel to help pressure Israel to end its
policies of occupation and apartheid.

In the ​words of Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu​, “People who are denied their dignity and
their rights​ deserve the solidarity of their fellow human beings. If you are neutral in situations of
injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor...I have witnessed the racially segregated roads and
housing in the Holy Land that reminded me so much of the conditions we experienced in South Africa
under apartheid. I have witnessed the systematic humiliation of Palestinian men, women and children
by members of the Israeli security forces. Their humiliation is familiar to all black South Africans who
were corralled and harassed and insulted and assaulted by the security forces of the apartheid
government."

Performing in Israel with the blessing of the Israeli government conveys the Orchestra’s tacit approval
for Israel’s systemic denial of Palestinian rights. It has now been over 50 years since Palestinians in the
West Bank and Gaza have been subject to a regime of military occupation and colonization, and 70 years
that Palestinians have lived inside Israel as second-class citizens, subject to over 60 discriminatory ​laws​,
or as refugees in the diaspora, denied their right of return to their homes as guaranteed by international
law. ​We urge you not to lend your good name to covering up Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.

We would be happy to meet to share our perspective and discuss these issues in greater depth. We look
forward to hearing from you by Thursday, March 28, 2018.

Musicians
1. Tareq Abboushi, Musician & Director of ​Edward Said National Conservatory of Music​ - Palestine
2. Ahmed Alam, Bass player, Tunisia
3. Derek Ball​, Composer, Scotland
4. Richard Barrett​, composer, UK
5. Conor Biggs​, bass, Belgium
6. Nathaniel Chase​, Bassist, New York
7. Rhona Clarke​, composer, Ireland
8. Siobhán Cleary​, composer, Ireland
9. Aliya Cycon​, oud player, Boston MA
10. Tamar Dart, Musician, Little Strike, Philadelphia
11. Raymond Deane​, composer, Ireland
12. Liza DeProphetis, Musician, Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia
13. James Dier, “Small Change”, ​DJ, NYC
14. Laurence Dreyfus​, Director of Phantasm Viol Consort, Germany
15. Nancy Elan, Violinist , UK
 16. Perry Genovesi, Musician, Bike Crash, See-Through Girls, Philadelphia
17. Owen Johnson, musician/artist, Detroit
18. Dr. Fergus Johnston​, composer, Ireland
19. Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble, Raleigh
20. Ohal Grietzer, composer, Tel-Aviv
21. Meri Haines, Musician, Great Weights, Cult Objects, Yarrow, Philadelphia
22. David Hempel​, Principal Oboe, Orchestra Iowa
23. Hip Hop for Justice, Raleigh, NC
24. Wieland Hoban​, composer, Germany
25. Bill Homans, Watermelon Slim, American Blues musician, Clarksdale
26. Jake Holtzman, pianist & piano teacher, NYC
27. Dirar Kalash, musician, Palestine
28. Andrew Keller, Musician, Hermit Thrushes, Snow Caps, Philadelphia
29. Debbie Kennedy, bass player
30. John King, composer, NYC
31. Alex Lichtenauer, Founder, Get Better Records, Philadelphia
32. Brian Morsberger, Musician, Drums Like Machine Guns, Global Sync, Philadelphia
33. Jonathan Ofir, violinist and conductor, Denmark
34. David Oppenheim, Artist, Israel
35. Dennis Parrish, musician, Bensalem
36. Vijay Prashad​, Director, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research
37. Milos Raickovich​, composer & conductor, NYC
38. Danielle Ravitzki, musician, Israel/Palestine
39. Omar Saad, violist, ​Galilee Quartet​, Palestine
40. Mostafa Saad, violinist, Galilee Quartet, Palestine
41. Tibah Saad, celloist, Galilee Quartet, Palestine
42. Gandhi Saad, violinist, Galilee Quartet, Palestine
43. Jowan Safadi, musician, Palestine
44. Michal Sapir, guitarist, singer, songwriter, Afor Gashum, Israel
45. Yonatan Shapira, musician, Israel/Palestine
46. Farah Siraj​, singer/songwriter, Philadelphia
47. Julie Slim, vocalist, Austin, TX
48. Sarah Streatfeild, violinist , UK
49. Simon Streatfeild​, conductor, UK
50. Faraj Suleiman​, composer & pianist, Palestine

Writers, Activists, Academics & Clergy

1. susan abulhawa​, writer, Yardley
2. Pam Africa, Int’l Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Philadelphia
3. Ramona Africa, the ​MOVE Organization​, Philadelphia
4. Suad Amiry​, writer, Palestine
5. Huwaida Arraf​, human rights lawyer, Detroit
6. Dr ​Ramzy Baroud​, journalist, author - Seattle
7. Nora Barrows-Friedman, journalist, cellist, San Francisco Bay Area
8. Mariam Bazeed, Writer & Performance Artist, Egypt/USA
9. The Rev. Judith T. Beck, Philadelphia
10. Barry Binks, Veterans for Peace, Sacramento
11. Diana Buttu​, lawyer, Palestine
12. Joe Catron, ​International Solidarity Movement
13. John Catalinotto​, Editor & Author, New York City
14. George Ciaccariello-Maher​, Hemispheric Institute, NY
15. Rev. E. Clifford Cutler, Philadelphia
16. William Dalrymple​, historian & writer, India
17. Lawrence Davidson, Professor, West Chester, PA
18. William Davis, National Action Network, Detroit Chapter
19. Rev. Jim Eby, Retired, Philadelphia Presbytery, Presbyterian Church USA
20. Ben Ehrenreich, writer, Las Vegas
21. Noura Erakat​, Human Right Attorney & Assistant Professor, George Mason University
22. Richard Falk​, Professor of International Law, Emeritus, Princeton University
23. Henry Hagins, ​Free Mumia Abu Jamal Coalition​, NYC
24. Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Baltimore
25. Dr. Sue Harris, Peoples Video Network, NY
26. Marc Lamont Hill​, professor, Temple University, Philadelphia
27. Rebecca Katherine Hirsch, Writer, Philadelphia
28. Matthew Hoh, Senior Fellow, Center for International Policy, Washington, DC
29. Rachel Holmes​, writer, UK
30. Rabbi Linda Holtzman, Philadelphia
31. Randa Jarrar​, writer, Fresno CA
32. Andrew Kadi, blogger & organizer, Washington DC
33. Tarak Kauff, Board of Directors, ​Veterans for Peace​, NY
34. Chuck Kaufman, National Coordinator, ​Alliance for Global Justice
35. Lamont Lilly, Poet, Journalist, Organizer, The Black Alliance for Peace
36. Joe Lombardo, Co-Coordinator, ​United National Antiwar Coalition​ - UNAC
37. Rev. Amy Yoder McGloughlin, Germantown Mennonite Church, Philadelphia, PA
38. Cynthia McKinney​, former Congresswoman, Georgia
39. Rev. Isaac Miller, former priest Church of the Advocate, Philadelphia
40. Anthony Monteiro, scholar & organizer of the Year of W.E.B DuBois, Philadelphia
41. Monica Moorehead​, co-coordinator, International Working Women’s Collective, NYC
42. Rami Ibrahim, Mui Thai World Champion, Philadelphia
43. Shailja Patel​, poet, Kenya
44. Miko Peled​, writer, Jerusalem
45. Chris Robinson, Green Party organizer, Philadelphia
46. Kamila Shamsie​, writer, UK/Pakistan
47. Ahdaf Soueif​, writer, UK/Egypt
48. Linda Spalding​, writer, Canada
49. Suzy Subways, writer, Philadelphia PA
 50. Amer Zahr, comedian, author & professor, Philadelphia

Non-musician Unionists
1. Minnie Bruce Pratt, National Writers Union/ UAW Local 1981, Syracuse
2. Mike Gimbel, retired Executive Board member, Local 375, AFSCME, NY
3. Joe Piette, Retiree, National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 157, Philadelphia
4. Stephanie Hedgecoke, Member CWA Local 14156, New York Typographical Union
5. David Sole, Past President UAW Local 2334, Detroit, Michigan
6. Martha Grevatt, Trustee, UAW Local 869*, Detroit, Michigan
7. Andre Francois, President USW 8751, Boston
8. Steven Kirschbaum, Vice President, USW 8751, Boston
9. Steve Gillis, Financial Secretary, USW8751, Boston
10. Susan E. Davis, National Writers Union, United Auto Workers Local 1981, New York
11. Johnnie Stevens, Community-Labor United for Postal Jobs and Services
12. Angaza Sababu Laughinghouse, Political Action Co-chair, NC Public Service Workers Union, UE
Local 150

Organizations
1. The Aafia Foundation
2. Adalah-NY: Campaign for the Boycott of Israel
3. African National Congress - Philadelphia
4. Al-Awda, The Palestine Right of Return Movement
5. ANSWER Philadelphia
6. Black and Brown Workers Cooperative, Philadelphia
7. Black Lives Matter - Los Angeles
8. Black Lives Matter - Philadelphia
9. Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS call from within (Israel)
10. Christian-Jewish Allies Working for a Just Peace In Israel-Palestine - Philadelphia
11. Delaware Valley Veterans for America
12. Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights
13. Food Not Bombs Solidarity, Philadelphia
14. Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War, Ontario, Canada
15. International Action Center (IAC)
16. International League of Peoples' Struggle - Southern California
17. The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
18. Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) - Philadelphia
19. Jews for Palestinian Right of Return
20. Jews Say No! - New York
21. Labor for Palestine
22. Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU), Montreal, Canada
23. Penn Law Palestine Solidarity
24. The Philadelphia Coalition for Boycott Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (Philly BDS)
25. Philadelphia/Camden Boricua Committee
26. Philadelphia REAL Justice
27. Philadelphia Socialist Action
28. Philly Socialists
29. Puerto Rican Alliance - Los Angeles
30. Quaker Palestine Israel Network
31. S​amidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
32. School of the Americas Watch - Los Angeles
33. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) - Temple University , Philadelphia
34. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) - Swarthmore
35. The Tikkun Olam Chavurah - Philadelphia
36. US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR)
37. Vietnam Veterans Against the War VVAW/OSS
38. WESPAC Middle East Committee
39. Wisconsin Bail Out the People
40. Workers World-Philadelphia