Creative Community for Peace launches open letter against boycotting Israeli literary institutions

An open letter against boycotting Jewish and Israeli authors and literary institutions has been launched by the American non-profit organisation Creative Community for Peace (CCFP).

The group claims that the letter has been signed by more than 1,000 authors and others from the literary and entertainment industries.

The letter argues that "boycotts against authors and those who work with them is illiberal and dangerous", adding: "Regardless of one’s views on the current conflict, boycotts of creatives and creative institutions simply create more divisiveness and foment further hatred". 

The document also highlights the role of books in bringing about "positive change", adding that "writers, authors and books—along with the festivals that showcase them—bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness [and] open dialogue". 

It follows the release of an open letter in the UK, organised by the Palestine Festival of Literature (PalFest) and shared by Fossil Free Books, which called on the publishing industry to boycott Israeli institutions that "have remained silent observers" to the crisis in Gaza.

The PalFest letter has been signed by more than 2,470 published authors, translators, illustrators, publishers, editors and book workers. An association of lawyers supporting Israel, called UK Lawyers for Israel, (UKLFI), had sent a separate document to trade bodies and publishers in response, alleging that the "boycott is plainly discriminatory against Israelis".