Headline WOMADelaide act Ziggy Marley accused of ‘whitewashing Israel’ by Friends of Palestine Australia spokesman Mike Khizam

The spokesman for Friends of Palestine Australia has accused a Jamaican musical icon of ‘whitewashing’ and demanding WOMADelaide ban him from performing.

WOMADelaide organisers have rejected calls by a pro-Palestinian group to axe this year’s headline act Ziggy Marley over his high-profile support of Israel.

The Australian Friends of Palestine Association have launched a campaign to remove the award-winning Jamaican artist from the world music event, and urged festival goers to boycott his performance next week.

The Adelaide-based group have started an online petition to cancel Marley’s appearance on Monday, March 11 – which has secured almost 1700 signatures – and are also planning a series of “highly visible” protests at the four-day festival in Botanic Park.

The group pointed to Marley’s attendance at a 2018 fundraiser for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) which helped raise more than $90 million, and his role as an ambassador for the pro-Israeli organisation, Creative Community for Peace, as evidence of his support for Israel.

Friends of Palestine Australia spokesman Mike Khizam said Marley, 55, wasn’t welcome at the festival and his ongoing support of Israel was “against the ethos” of WOMADelaide.

“Artists and cultural figures like Ziggy are a way of whitewashing Israel. By associating with Israel, they are trying to put on a good face on an apartheid regime with a brutal military occupation,” Mr Khizam said.

Jamaican musician Ziggy Marley is set to play in Adelaide. Picture: VALERIE MACON.

“He would be aware as anybody else what has been happening in Gaza for the last five months now. There are people who are supporters of Israel who have been prepared to separate themselves at least from particular Israeli actions… but he hasn’t been one of them.

“We need to treat him in a way which sends a message that support for Israel is not in the interests of peace and that he’s not welcome.”

But WOMADelaide director Ian Scobie strongly disagreed, saying Marley’s “overriding record is one of support for Human Rights, Love and Peace, particularly between the Israeli and Palestinian people.”

“Ziggy has never performed for or undertaken fundraising activities in the manner claimed by the campaign,” Mr Scobie said.

“We believe Ziggy Marley to be an important artist who deserves to be heard.

“We do not share the view put forward by this campaign against his participation in the festival, that due to his attendance as a guest at the table of a philanthropist at a 2018 dinner in support of the families of the Israeli Defence forces, he should be disqualified from participating in the festivals now.”

In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, Marley – whose wife is Orly Agai, an Israeli of Iranian-Jewish descent – was among 2000 members of the entertainment industry who co-signed an open letter by CCFP, condemning Hamas and backing Israel.

The final line said: “Our thoughts are with all those experiencing unfathomable levels of fear and violence, and we hope for the day when Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace.”

Pro-Palestine protesters are encouraging WOMADelaide attendees to boycott Ziggy Marley’s performance at the festival. Picture: Rob Sferco

Mr Khizam said the AFOPA have spoken to WOMADelaide organisers about Marley, an eight-time Grammy winner and son of late reggae icon Bob Marley.

“We think WOMADelaide is a great event, it’s good for Adelaide and we like the idea of international music. Our specific problem is the presence of prominent Israeli supporter Ziggy Marley which we believe goes against the ethos of WOMADelaide,” he said.

“They (organisers) disagree with how we characterise Ziggy Marley… (but) they’re not seeking to stop us protesting and they want us to have the right to protest without it negatively impacting on WOMADelaide.”

The group is planning protests outside the main entry to the festival on Friday and Saturday. They are also encouraging ticket holders to turn their back to his performance on Monday night while wearing the traditional Palestine scarf, the keffiyeh.

Mr Scobie confirmed they have met with AFOPA and have also had a “discussion with Ziggy’s management to clarify the facts”.

Leading Jewish community figure Norman Schueler said it was not up to the AFOPA to dictate what other Australians can see or hear.

“We will decide what we want to attend and will not be dictated to by those who believe such methods are the way to go,” he said.

Mike Khizam said “Artists and cultural figures like Ziggy are a way of whitewashing Israel.” Picture Mark Brake

“We, Australians, will not be nursemaided by an appointed group with an obvious agenda.”

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich said the calls to remove Marley from WOMADelaide were “beyond offensive” and a new low in the “vicious anti-Israel tsunami of hatred” seen across Australia.

“What’s next: Banning performers because they are Jewish? I commend the Festival for not caving into the threats, coercion and ugly pressure tactics,” he said.

“The only ‘crime’ of Ziggy Marley, who has used his talents to promote peace and human rights, is that he opposes the boycott against Israel and wants to educate people about the dangers of anti-Jewish bigotry.”

Dr Abramovich, whose cousin was killed in an August attack in Tel Aviv, said the campaign could incite violence against the SA Jewish community.

“The demand to kick Ziggy Marley is beyond offensive and I call on the SA Premier to condemn and speak out against this warped and twisted cause,” he said.

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Dr Colin Rubenstein said the Creative Community for Peace was dedicated to fighting antisemitism, including boycotts of Israel.

“Any fair-minded person would be commending Ziggy Marley for standing up for the right of the Middle East’s only democracy to exist and to defend itself against terrorism, while also advocating for Israeli-Palestinian peace, and would not be trying to cancel him and deprive the people of Adelaide from enjoying his talents,” he said.

This week, Marley told The Advertiser that he was looking forward to coming to Adelaide for his first Australian show in over a decade.

“We love the festival and we love the people so we thought, let’s do it,” said the musician, who cancelled his 2020 Womad performance at the last minute due to Covid concerns.

“My music has a spirit to it, you don’t have to know it to love it. It’s carrying something for humanity that we can all connect to.”

Jamaican singer Ziggy Marley said that ‘through peace we will find prosperity, not through war and violence.’ Picture: Supplied by WOMADelaide.

A philanthropist and activist, Marley said he wanted to spread love and to unite people through his work.

“Our music carries a strong message that you can’t find anymore. It’s the rebellion against hate, the rebellion against divisiveness, against racism and religious conflicts. We will be much better off as a society when we can live together,” he said.

“Through peace we will find prosperity, not through war and violence. We need to live together in a better way with each other, this is the only way - there’s no other way. The violence has not worked. We can do much better.”