Isolating Israel, a Pariah State

On the day that an independent inquiry by the United Nations concluded that Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, over 750 Scottish cultural organisations, collectives and artists have backed a cultural boycott of Israel amid growing international efforts to isolate the country.

The moves are called for in the same week as Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has called for Israel to be barred from international sports competitions [ Spain’s PM calls for Israel sports ban as rocket-launcher contract reportedly cancelled | Spain]. This could have particular impact ahead of next years World Cup.

Now this football boycott is gaining traction. Novara reports:

“Today a  broad coalition of former international football players, football supporters’ groups, human rights organisations, advocacy networks and influencers has launched a campaign calling for a boycott of Israeli football. The #GameOverIsrael campaign, launched today, is urging football federations in Belgium, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Scotland and Spain to suspend the Israeli national team, ban Israeli club sides from continental competition and prevent Israeli players from joining domestic leagues.”

Prominent supporters include former French footballer Eric Cantona and former England player and commentator Gary Lineker, as well as Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, and British artist Bobby Vylan. Coordinated protests are planned across all nine countries, with campaigners demanding federations take a stand against Israel’s assault on Palestinian life, including the destruction of sports facilities and the killing of athletes in Gaza. Richard Falk, president of the Gaza Tribunal and former UN special rapporteur, said: “Israel has for many years used culture and sports to whitewash its violations of international law and human rights, and sporting governing bodies have been shamefully complicit during this genocide. It’s perfectly legitimate and morally imperative to demand that football federations across Europe and the world boycott Israel.” 

This follows the Dutch and Irish broadcasters calling for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to take part [Netherlands ready to join Eurovision boycott over Israel]. The Dutch public broadcaster, AVROTROS, confirmed the Netherlands will join Slovenia, Iceland, Spain and Ireland in boycotting next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is involved.

Such high profile boycotts undermine the credibility of entire events and the possibility of them being cancelled altogether grows. These moves go on as prominent actors and musicians use their platform to get a message across to millions of people. Award-winner Hannah Einbinder said “F*** ICE and Free Palestine” after receiving Best Supporting Actress at the Emmy’s. Afterwards she stated: “”It is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel. Our religion and our culture…is really separate to this sort of ethnonationalist state.”

pic.twitter.com/n8IsLUjl3r

— BELLA CALEDONIA (@bellacaledonia) September 16, 2025

This came in the same week that Israeli conductor Ilan Volkov stunned the audience with an emotional speech denouncing Israel’s war on Gaza at the BBC Proms in London. Volkov, who led the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, said he carried “great pain” and could no longer stay silent. The BBC cut its broadcast before his speech, saying it was not informed in advance. He described the killing of thousands of Palestinians, the repeated displacement of families, and the collapse of hospitals and schools.

“Innocent Palestinians are being killed in thousands, displaced again and again, without hospitals and schools, not knowing when the next meal will come,” he told the audience. “We cannot let this go on any longer, every moment that passes puts the safety of millions at risk.” Volkov later announced in an interview that he will no longer perform in Israel in protest against its atrocities in Gaza.

Conductor of BBC Scottish Symphony, Ilan Volkov, urged the world last night to stop Israel. pic.twitter.com/2IwxrnKgg7

— Samira Mohyeddin سمیرا (@SMohyeddin) September 13, 2025

This work coincides with solidarity to support the the Global Sumud Flotilla – a fleet of over 50 ships from over forty countries – heading to break the aid blockade – that has already been under drone attack.

Now dockworkers in Genoa have announced a Europe-wide stoppage if Israeli forces block the Global Sumud Flotilla from delivering supplies to Gaza. All in all it amounts to efforts on multiple fronts to isolate and boycott Israel and remove its ability to sportswash and artswash its atrocities.

Open Letter to the Scottish Government: A Call for a Cultural Boycott of Israel

Now, in a groundbreaking display of collective solidarity with Palestine from across Scotland’s cultural sector, over 750 cultural organisations, cultural collectives, artists and cultural workers have signed a letter calling on the Scottish government to:

Enact a full state boycott of Israel
Remove Baillie Gifford from state-funded national museums and galleries
Endorse a cultural boycott of Israel
Decriminalise protest

The letter also declares no confidence in the culture secretary, Angus Robertson, who had secretive meetings with the Israeli deputy ambassador to the UK in 2024, describing Scotland as a ‘friend’ of Israel.

Last month, Holyrood voted overwhelmingly to boycott Israel, becoming the first parliament in the world to do so. The Scottish cultural sector now uses its full collective power to hold the government to account.

Over 230 cultural organisations in Scotland are already backing the cultural boycott of Israel (PACBI), the highest proportional uptake of the cultural boycott anywhere in the world, sending an overwhelming message to the government that Scottish culture stands proudly against genocide and apartheid, and proudly for the liberation of the Palestinian people.

The letter with a full list of signatories has now been sent to the First Minister, and will be published by Art Workers for Palestine Scotland on our instagram tomorrow.

A spokesperson for Art Workers for Palestine Scotland said:

“This open letter represents the largest demonstration of solidarity with Palestine in the history of the Scottish arts. Cultural organisations, filmmakers, visual artists, cultural workers of all description have joined together to make these demands from our sector to the government with a clear voice. We will not stand by in silence, and we will not allow art to be complicit in the genocide in any way. No culture without Palestinian culture.”