Thirty-one Israeli filmmakers, artists, academics, and former politicians called for the international community to impose “crippling sanctions” on Israel to pressure it into a ceasefire with Hamas in a Wednesday letter to The Guardian.
The signatories include Academy Award recipient Yuval Abraham, former attorney-general Michael Ben-Yair, former speaker of the Knesset and former Jewish Agency head Avraham Burg, and former MK Tamar Gozansky.
“Our country is starving the people of Gaza to death and contemplating the forced removal of millions of Palestinians from the Strip,” the letter alleges.
“We, Israelis dedicated to a peaceful future for our country and our Palestinian neighbors, write this with grave shame, in rage and in agony,” it states.
The European Commission announced on Monday that it would recommend to the European Union to partially suspend scientific and technological cooperation with Israel in the Horizon research and innovation program as an initial step against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway sanctioned National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in June.
The US and the EU have also sanctioned select Israeli settlers and groups in the West Bank for violence against Palestinians.
Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian activist who was featured in Abraham’s No Other Land, was killed during clashes with settlers in the village of Umm al-Khair in the West Bank on Monday, allegedly by sanctioned settler Yinon Levi. Levi was released to house arrest by the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The full list of signatories:
Yuval Abraham: Academy Award recipient for No Other Land (2025)
Ra’anan Alexandrowicz: Sundance world cinema jury prize recipient for The Law in These Parts (2012)
Udi Aloni: Tribeca Film Festival best international narrative feature recipient for Junction 48 (2016)
Liran Atzmor: Peabody Award recipient for The Law in These Parts (2013)
Professor Tali Bitan: University of Haifa
Michael Ben-Yair: Former attorney general of Israel and former acting Supreme Court judge
Nir Bergman: Ophir award recipient for Here We Are (2020)
Avraham Burg: Former speaker of the Knesset and former head of the Jewish Agency
Peter Cole: Poet, translator, and MacArthur Fellow
Guy Davidi: International Emmy Award recipient for 5 Broken Cameras (2013)
Ari Folman: Golden Globe recipient for Waltz with Bashir (2009)
Shira Geffen: Camera d’Or recipient for Jellyfish (2007)
Prof. Emeritus Amiram Goldblum, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Prof. Oded Goldreich: Weizmann Institute of Science and Israel Prize recipient (2021)
Tamar Gozansky: Former Knesset member
Prof. Uri Hadar: Tel Aviv University
Prof. Moty Heiblum: Wolf prize in physics recipient (2025)
Adina Hoffman: Writer, Windham Campbell prize recipient (2013)
Eran Kolirin: Screenwriter and film director, Ophir Award recipient for Let It Be Morning (2021)
Nadav Lapid: Screenwriter and film director, Golden Bear recipient for Synonyms (2019)
Alex Levac: Israel Prize recipient (2005)
Hagai Levi: Television writer and director, Golden Globe recipient for The Affair (2015)
Samuel Maoz: Film director, Golden Lion recipient for Lebanon (2009)
Dr. Adi Moreno: Tel Aviv-Yafo Academic College
Prof. Michal Na’aman: Painter, Israel prize recipient (2014)
Ohad Naharin: Choreographer, Israel Prize recipient (2005)
Daniella Nowitz: Cinematographer, Ophir Award recipient for Asia (2020) and Israel TV Academy Award recipient for Carthago (2023) and Bad Boy (2024)
Prof. Adi Ophir: Tel Aviv University
Inbal Pinto: Choreographer and dancer, Israeli Culture Ministry award recipient (2011)
Aharon Shabtai: Poet and translator, Israeli Prime Minister’s Prize recipient (1993)
Eyal Weizman: Director of Forensic Architecture