The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement for Palestine in Turkey is calling on all supporters of the Palestinian people, who are facing ongoing Israeli attacks, to boycott the Mix Festival, scheduled for Nov 2-3 at İstanbul’s Zorlu Performing Arts Center. Zorlu Holding, the festival venue’s owner, is one of Turkey’s largest conglomerates and has substantial investments in Israel, making it a regular target for protests since last year.
Some of the artists and groups slated to perform at the two-day festival include Bedük, Temples, Σtella, Altın Gün, Starsailor, Trentemøller, Balthvs, Orhan Tanrıver, Cisetta, and Jamie S.
BDS Turkey’s message to the artists performing at the festival calls for a cultural boycott of Israel. The statement reads:
"Dear musicians, we regret to hear that you plan to perform at the Mix Festival at Zorlu PSM on Nov 2-3. We write to you on behalf of BDS Turkey, the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), and the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) to urge you to respect the call to boycott Zorlu PSM. Zorlu Holding, the owner of Zorlu PSM, is complicit in genocide through its extensive and strategic investments in Israel.
“As genocide is currently unfolding in Palestine, the Dorad Power Station, partly owned by Zorlu Holding, supplies electricity to the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Israeli military bases along the Gaza border. Additionally, Ayesaş, in which Zorlu Holding holds a 60% stake, provides software for multiple military systems used by the Israeli occupation forces, including F-35 aircraft.
“Companies like Zorlu Holding profit from Israel’s genocide, occupation, and apartheid regime in Palestine, concealing their complicity through cultural venues and events like those at PSM.
“At a time when people of conscience globally are standing in solidarity with Palestinians under siege, occupation, and genocide, we call on you not to participate in events that enable Israel and its partners to cover up their crimes. We urge you not to perform at Zorlu PSM.”
The cultural boycott of Israel
The cultural boycott against Israel arose in protest against Israel's policies toward Palestinians and its ongoing occupation. This boycott encourages cultural figures—such as artists, academics, writers, and musicians—to avoid participating in cultural or artistic events tied to Israel and calls on the public to support this stance.
As part of this movement, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) was launched in 2004. In 2005, PACBI broadened its appeal to include a general call for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) in support of Palestinian rights.
The boycott movement, organized as a response to Israel’s military occupation and apartheid policies in Palestinian territories, aims to build international pressure on Israel to end its occupation and recognize Palestinian rights. (TY/VK)
