Brussels Short Film Festival excludes Israel from sponsors

The Brussels Short Film Festival has removed Israel from its list of partners in the event on 30 April, a statement issued by the Belgian Palestinian Friendship Association announced on Friday.

According to the statement, the Belgian Palestinian Friendship Association, the Palestinian community in Belgium and several international actors and producers persuaded the festival’s management to remove the Israeli embassy from the sponsors list.

“Israel is trying to forget its occupation and apartheid regime applied in Palestine through participation in art and cultural events across the world,” the Belgian Palestinian Friendship Association stated, “but these are two crimes against humanity.”

The Belgian Palestinian Friendship Association shared that the Israeli embassy appeared in the initial list of the Brussels Short Film Festival sponsors, “but we succeeded in removing it.”

“We thank and congratulate the Brussels Short Film Festival management for this courageous measure that sends a clear message to Israel that it will not gain respect through whitewashing its crimes against humanity.”

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