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Joker (Dubstep) asks ‘am i crazy by thinking this guy is a mad! Man’ – fans ask Joker to cancel his Tel Aviv Show & not support Israeli Apartheid

Joker learns about apartheid

Joker, a UK Dubstep musical artist from Bristol announced he will be playing Tel
Aviv on 20th December 2011 at Clutch (4 Ha`taarouca St.).
https://www.facebook.com/events/144749992300607/

Fans contacted Joker on his official Facebook page and created a page titled
‘Joker (Dubstep) Cancel your Tel Aviv show - Say NO to Apartheid Israel’. After
seeing this page posted on his wall, Joker asks, ‘am i crazy by thinking this
guy is a mad! man….or is he actually right?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joker-Dubstep-Cancel-your-Tel-Aviv-trip-Say-NO-

to-Apartheid-Israel/192297827530142

Within 2 hours there were over 76 messages of reply posted by fans, largely
supporting the proposed ‘mad man’ and in unison, asking Joker to cancel his
performance in Tel Aviv and support the Palestinian civil call for a global
boycott of Israel. https://www.facebook.com/jokerofficialpage

One fan replied ‘You`re doing your thing, not supporting apartheid. Don`t let
these haters stop you...’ and another ‘Playing in Israel does note = Apartheid
sponsor. Do your thing bruh’

The Russell Tribunal session held in South Africa in November 2011, found that
the entire state of Israel (not just the occupied territories) is guilty of the
crimes of Apartheid and persecution. Jury members included Alice Walker who met
Martin Luther King Jr. as a student and credits King for her decision to return
to the American South as an activist for the Civil Rights Movement. She marched
with thousands in the 1963 March on Washington and volunteered to register black
voters in Georgia and Mississippi; and Ronnie Kasrils, a veteran of the South
African anti-apartheid struggle and a former member of Nelson Mandela`s
government.

http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/sessions/south-africa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Walker

In July 2011, the South African advertising & media watchdog (ASA) ruled that
Israel can be called an Apartheid State, after dismissing a complaint by the
South African Jewish Board of Deputies that to do so was “untrue, not supported
by any evidence…and contains a lie which amounts to false propaganda”. Reggae
DJ the Admiral, a member of South African Artists Against Apartheid, welcomed
the ruling: `The ASA decision is significant due to our own history of
Apartheid. The decision sends a clear message to the Zionist lobby that the time
has come for an end to the baseless accusations of `discrimination` and `hate
speech` whenever criticism of Israel is voiced. Calling Israel an Apartheid
state is legitimate because Israel practices Apartheid. The boycott of such an
oppressive regime should be supported as it was in our own Anti-Apartheid
freedom struggle.`

http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/news/africa/2580-south-african-advertising-

and-media-watchdog-rules-that-israel-can-be-called-an-qapartheidq-state

In 2004, the International Courts of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Israeli
Apartheid wall being built around the West Bank was illegal and should be
dismantled. As a result of the subsequent failure of world leaders to implement
this ICJ decision, in 2005 the Palestinian Civil society called for a global
people’s response to launch broad boycotts, implement divestment initiatives and
to demand sanctions against Israel (BDS), until Palestinian rights are
recognised in full compliance with international law.

http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?pr=71&code=mwp&p1=3&p2=4&p3=6&ca

The BDS campaign is shaped by a rights-based approach and urges various forms of
boycott against Israel until it meets its obligations under international law
by:

1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands occupied in June
1967 and dismantling the Wall;

2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of
Israel to full equality; and

3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to
return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194. Israel
seeks to whitewash its apartheid crimes by purposely seeking to boost its image
internationally through musical culture. As part of the boycott, academics,
artists and consumers are campaigning against such collaboration and
‘rebranding’. http://www.bdsmovement.net/

A growing number of artists have refused to exhibit or play in Israel. As one
fan posted on Jokers’ wall - ‘Macy Gray [said]: “I had a reality check and I
stated that I definitely would not have played there if I had known even the
little that I know now.”
http://twitter.com/#!/MacyGraysLife/status/132598638823223297

The comment also included a statement by ‘Faithless: “We’ve been asked to do
some shows this summer in your country and, with the heaviest of hearts, I have
regretfully declined the invitation. While human beings are being willfully
denied not just their rights but their needs for their children and grandparents
and themselves, I feel deeply that I should not be sending even tacit signals
that this is either ‘normal’ or ‘ok’.”

Other Joker fans wrote of Arch Bishop Desmond Tutus words when supporting the
recent ‘One World’ song ‘Freedom for Palestine’ (featuring Feat: Maxi Jazz
(Faithless), Dave Randall (Slovo/Faithless), LSK, the Durban Gospel Choir, and
others), where in a video he says ‘I have visited the occupied Palestinian
territories and have witnessed the humiliation of Palestinians at Israeli
military check points. The inhumanity that won’t let ambulances reach the
injured, farmers tend their land or children attend school. This treatment is
familiar to me and the many black South Africans that who were corralled &
harassed by the security forces of the apartheid government.
http://youtu.be/yZveHdjtoNw

A fan posted to Jokers wall similar sentiment expressed by Alice Walker [who
said] `Going through Israeli checkpoints is like going back in time to American
Civil Rights struggle...I am a big supporter of BDS. I frankly think that it is
the best, absolutely the best way.`
http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/resources/interviews/3104-alice-walker-

qgoing-through-israeli-checkpoints-is-like-going-back-in-time-to-american-civil-
rights-struggleq

After numerous posts Joker replied ‘jake i nothing of no war no nothing all i
know is music i evan forget how old i am’

Joker may not know about war or his age but one thing for certain, Joker fans
have made him aware of the reality of Israeli apartheid. The only question left
is whether apartheid is something that agrees with the Joker?

We wait to see.

Israeli propogandists posted further racism on the fb page wall thinking it will
help support their view in favour of Israel

Joker replies to his facebook fans at aproximately 5am on 17th December 2011

Joker kindly posted a status update on his official facebook page saying `ok
after this crazy night finding out all this shit i have never know! no lie! i
wont be going not because of every 1 telling not to but thats shit is
MESSSSSSSEED UP`.

We would like to thank Joker for listening and for his solidarity to the people
of Palestine and their call for a global boycott of Israel to help end Israeli
apartheid. Thank you for not being complicit in apartheid or whitewashing the
actions of the oppressive Israeli regime by performing in Israel. Thank you
Joker. In peace and solidarity.

racist photo posted by supporters of Israeli apartheid

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