The Gush Shalom Movement launched a public campaign against musician Shlomo Gronich for his decision to help and collaborate with the extreme right settlers who invaded the Silwan Village in East Jerusalem with the proclaimed aim of “Judaising” it and dispossess its tens of thousands of inhabitants. Gronich, who in the past presented himself prominently in the country and abroad as a “peace seeker” and even held joint performances with Arab artists, is now due to give a free performance at the “City of David” settler enclave at the heart of Silwan Village, in an event honouring the American millionaire and settler patron Irwin Moskowitz, in the framework of celebrating the anniversary of the occupation of Palestinian East Jerusalem and its annexation to Israel (“Jerusalem Day”, June 2).

As is well-known, Moskowitz is involved in gambling at the US and is using his profits to extend the penetration of Israeli settlers into Palestinian towns and villages and the dispossession of their inhabitants. The Silwan settlers, with the help of Moskowitz, have invaded Palestinian homes, took them over by force and expelled their inhabitants, under protection of the police and using the most dubious of legal pretexts. Since then they are living in the village in armed enclaves surrounded by barbed wire and guarded day and night by armed security men. Just recently the settlers embarked in vast underground diggings, purportedly for archaeological purposes, which threatened to cause the collapse of Palestinian houses all around. In the presentation which they show to tourists the settlers completely wipe off 1300 years of Arab and Muslim history in Jerusalem, in preparation for wiping out the Palestinian presence in the city itself.

In deciding to “celebrate” with these violent racists and honour their dubious patron, Gronich has indelibly defiled himself. Peace-seekers from Israel and abroad were called upon to send him letters of protest and announce they will no longer buy his records or tickets to his performances.

Protests to: shlomogronich@shlomogronich.com or to Hanan Bar Sela, Gronich's personal manager barsela10@gmail.com 052-3352797

It is also possible to post messages on the open forum in Gronich's website

http://www.shlomogronich.com/forum.asp

Settler reporsts on the Gronich performance

http://www.moskowitzprize.com/eng/prize.htm

http://www.moskowitzprize.com/eng/awardceremony_e.htm