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Paramount Pictures has condemned a pledge signed by more than 4,000 figures in the entertainment industry — including several Hollywood stars — who vowed not to work with Israeli film institutions.
The pledge accuses Israeli cultural entities of “genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”
Paramount is the first major studio to respond. The campaign specifically names Israeli film festivals including the Jerusalem Film Festival, Haifa International Film Festival, Docaviv, and TLVfest.
Paramount: Boycotts Do Not Advance Peace
In its statement, Paramount rejected the boycott. “At Paramount, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect and inspire people, promote mutual understanding, and preserve the moments, ideas, and events that shape the world we share. This is our creative mission,” the studio said.
The statement continued: “We do not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli filmmakers. Silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace. The global entertainment industry should be encouraging artists to tell their stories and share their ideas with audiences throughout the world. We need more engagement and communication — not less.”
High-Profile Support for Boycott Campaign
Actors Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Riz Ahmed, Javier Bardem, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma D’Arcy, Eric Andre, Elliot Page, and Cynthia Nixon all signed the pledge. Unlike earlier campaigns, this letter directly names Israeli institutions. It claims the “refusal takes aim at institutional complicity, not identity.”
Context: War in Gaza and Antisemitic Accusations
The pledge comes amid rising cultural campaigns targeting Israel. Writers, musicians, and actors are pressing institutions to cut ties with the Jewish state in light of the ongoing war in Gaza, which was launched in response to October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel’s borders, brutally murdering more than 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army does its utmost to minimize civilian deaths, even as Hamas uses civilians as human shields. The terror group launches attacks from homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
This latest pledge highlights how anti-Israel activists have expanded their strategy from legal and economic arenas into culture, turning film and the arts into another battleground. Far from advancing peace, the boycott amounts to cultural warfare against Israel — part of the broader lawfare and BDS campaigns that seek to isolate the Jewish state and delegitimize its very existence.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
