Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images More than 100 celebrities signed a letter accusing Israel of “apartheid occupation” and denouncing Israel’s designations of six Palestinian NGOs as terror organizations.
Among those who signed the letter included Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo and Peter Gabriel, The Jewish Chronicle (JC) reported. The letter lauded the NGOs for holding “Israel accountable for its gross human rights violations and apartheid regime of institutionalised racial discrimination.” Israel has alleged that the six NGOs funnel money for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which has been designated as a terror organization by both the United States and the European Union, and that the NGOs employ various PFLP members.
Various Jewish and pro-Israel figures weighed in on Twitter.
“This group of ‘celebrities’ is to be the judge & jury for Israel’s decision-making?” American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris tweeted. “They’re to be seen as the last word on threats to Israel’s survival? Pray tell, what exactly qualify Richard Gere, Simon Pegg, Claire Foy, etc., for this exalted life-and-death role?”
Seriously?
This group of “celebrities” is to be the judge & jury for Israel’s decision-making?
They’re to be seen as the last word on threats to Israel’s survival?
Pray tell, what exactly qualify Richard Gere, Simon Pegg, Claire Foy, etc., for this exalted life-and-death role? https://t.co/pDZxcY1bTQ
— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY) November 22, 2021
Scottish journalist and Zionist activist Eve Barlow tweeted, “The humanitarians are really proud again that they’re singling out the Jews. Look at them go. They hate us. Hate.”
The humanitarians are really proud again that they're singling out the Jews. Look at them go. They hate us. Hate. https://t.co/i8vIW4Jgdb
— Eve Barlow (@Eve_Barlow) November 21, 2021
Variety Features Editor Malina Saval tweeted, “Richard Gere has visited Israel at least two times to my personal knowledge. I met him at the Jerusalem film fest. He let Israel put him up in a 5-star hotel. He accepted free meals. Went shopping. What a hypocrite. Then again, the founder of [the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement] lives in Acre, Israel. Typical.”
Richard Gere has visited Israel at least two times to my personal knowledge. I met him at the Jerusalem film fest. He let Israel put him up in a 5-star hotel. He accepted free meals. Went shopping. What a hypocrite. Then again, the founder of BDS lives in Acre, Israel. Typical. https://t.co/YUhnB2aLgx
— (((Malina Saval))) (@Malinasaval) November 21, 2021
Human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky, who heads the International Legal Forum, tweeted, “I don’t know which is more pathetic: The likes of has-been actors like Richard Gere commenting on Middle East conflict or @KenRoth using an actor whose claim to fame is ‘Pretty Woman’ as an authority on terror financing and the Middle East.”
I don’t know which is more pathetic: The likes of has-been actors like Richard Gere commenting on Middle East conflict or @KenRoth using an actor whose claim to fame is ‘Pretty Woman’ as an authority on terror financing and the Middle East? 🤔 https://t.co/VBcILfQkXJ
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) November 21, 2021
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