אמנים/אמניות נגד הגירוש | Artists Against Deportation | فنّانون ضد الطرد

Artists, curators, members of the arts community - join this petition:
The arts community calls for an immediate cessation of the expulsion of asylum seekers!

We, artists, curators, and members of the arts community call upon the Government of Israel to reverse its decision to seize and deport asylum seekers in Israel. We must embrace the asylum seekers, who have fled from their homes and countries under duress, and all they wish is to find a haven. They must not be incarcerated; they should be allowed to make a decent living and to realize their inherent human rights. We stand with the asylum seekers, their children; and their families and commit not to participate in the injustices the Government of Israel inflicts upon them.

This letter joins the one published by writers, academics, and physicians, as well as the protest of the residents of southern Tel Aviv and other groups that resist the cruel expulsion. A visual campaign, aimed at raising awareness of the subject accompanies the letter, available to anyone who wishes to join the struggle to reverse the decree.

The threat of forcible deportation to a third country, while the resisters שre placed under unlimited arrest and subjected to physical and mental pressure until they break down and agree to be deported, is contradictory to everything that we believe in. Recent photographs of the victims of deportation are shocking, and it is unthinkable that we would be a part of this process of expulsion.

Between 2014 and 2017, Israel deported more than 40,000 asylum seekers to third countries – Uganda and Rwanda. Their official papers are taken away, and they become persons without identity, turning them into easy marks for to human traffickers, as well as makes it impossible to tie them to Israel. The "third countries" are nothing but revolving doors: they cannot stay in Rwanda (they are immediately expelled). A very small minority manages to hang on by its teeth, aware of the worse options, which are: return to the country of origin – Ethiopia and Sudan – or embark upon a dangerous journey, which many have not survived. Now, because of the closure of the marine route to Europe, The European Union has instructed Libya not to allow passage through its territory on the way to Europe, turning it into a death trap for refugees from all over Africa. The Libyan militias capture the refugees and sell them to gangs and into slavery.

Some asylum seekers, deported by Israel in the last six months, apparently are trapped in human warehouses in Libya, and no one has been able to communicate with them.

We demand that the Government of Israel immediately stop the expulsion of the asylum seekers and to deploy the obvious humane values: to facilitate the immediate and fair absorption of 40,000 asylum seekers through a process of examining petitions for asylum and providing humane assistance to those in need.

In addition, we call for solidarity with this struggle, from within and without, to stand with those facing deportation, and to exert public pressure on the Israeli government to desist from its inhumane actions.

We shall help in doing whatever is required of us;
Please, hear our cry for help!

Letter written by: Michal Heiman, Avi Lubin, Leah Abir

Links:

Stop the Deportation campaign https://www.facebook.com/Otsrim.et.Hagerush
International Solidarity Campaign #Refugees4Sale https://www.facebook.com/events/124147378388149/
How to join the struggle: Assaf Organization http://assaf.org.il/he/front

Michal Heiman.jpg

Michal Heiman

Miri Segal, Don't be evil, 2011.jpg

Miri Segal, Don't be evil, 2011

Roee Rosen 4.jpg

Roee Rosen, Stills from The Dust Channel, 2016

Tomer Sapir (low res), Fetal baby, Mixed media, 2016, photo Youval Hai.jpg

Tomer Sapir, Fetal baby, Mixed media, 2016

Photo: Youval Hai

צילום יובל חי

Eli Petel_Baby Girl (Impressionism, Cubism, Minimalism, and baby Girl)_2002,colored pencils on paper, 150x105.jpg

Eli Petel_Baby Girl (Impressionism, Cubism, Minimalism, and baby Girl), 2002

Colored pencils on paper, 150x105 cm

refugess4sale-grays.gif

Nir Harel

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Aya Ben Ron, 2012

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Avner Ben Gal, Around The Clock

Iblis I, 2017, mixed media o paper.jpg

Elham Rokni, Iblis I, 2017