نامه هشتاد نفر از فعالان و دانشگاهیان در تقدیر از صلح دوستی محسن مخملباف در اسراییل

آقای مخملباف هنگام دریافت این جایزه گفت که باور دارد "اگر سیاست میان ما تفرقه میاندازد، هنر میتواند این فاصله ها را ترمیم و ما را در دستیابی به اهداف صلح آمیزمان متحد کند».

او گفت که جایزه اش را «به همه هنرمندان، سیاستمداران، روشنفکران و مردم ایران و اسراییل هدیه میکند که برای صلح و دوستی میان دو ملت کار کرده اند و به آن باور دارند».

امضاکنندگان:
آرام حسامی
اباذر نوریزاد
احمد باطبی
احمد عشقیار
اردشیر زارعزاده
اشکان یزدچی
اکبر عطری
اکبر کرمی
امیر صحتی
امیرحسین اعتمادی
امیرحسین توکلی
امین ریاحی
ایرج دهدار
بابک بردبار
بابک جعفریان
بانو صابری
بنفشه پورزند
بهزاد مهرانی
بيژن معصوميان
پتکین آذرمهر
پوریا خادمی
پویا جهاندار
پویا دیانیم
تورج زعیم
حسن شریعتمداری
دنا برماس
رضا مبین
سپیده پورآقایی
سجاد نیکآیین
سعید حسینپور
سعید قاسمینژاد
سلمان سیما
سیاوش بهمن
سیاوش صفوی
سیاووش جلیلی
سیما دینی
شاهین ایقانیان
شروین نکویی
شهران طبری
شیما بزرگی
عبدالرضا احمدی
عرفان ثابتی
علی اشتری
علی تهرانی
علی سازگارا
علی نظری
علیرضا پورپیرعلی
علیرضا کیانی
علیرضا موسوی
فرخ زندی
فریبا داوودی مهاجر
کاوه شیرزاد
کاویان میلانی
کوروش صحتی
کیانوش سنجری
لهراسب پورزند
لیونا عیسی قلیان
مازیار خسروبیگ
ماشااله عباسزاده
مجید محمدی
محسن سازگارا
محمود صباحی
مریم شجاعی
مریم معمارصادقی
مریم موذنزاده
مریم نایب یزدی
مسعود مسجودی
منوچهر محمدی
مهدى جلالى
مهدی وزیری
مهران براتی
مهرداد سیدعسگری
نادر جهانفرد
نازنین عسکری
نرگس توسلیان
هومان موسوی
هومن رضوی
هومن عسکری
یزدان شهدایی
یوحنا نجدی

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A letter by 80 Activists and Academics in gratitude for Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s peaceful efforts in Israel

Iranian director, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who recently attended the Jerusalem Film Festival to screen his latest film "The Gardener", received a special award from the festival organizers for “artistic achievements” and “for his long battle and struggle for democracy and freedom” in Iran.
Upon receiving the award, Mr. Makhmalbaf stated: “If politics separates us, art, on the other hand, can heal these rifts and distances and unite us in our peaceful efforts.”
He further mentioned that he wanted to dedicate his award to “artists, politicians, intellectuals and all the people in Iran and Israel who have worked for peace and friendship between two nations and believe in it.”
Mr. Makhmalbaf added in Jerusalem that he likes the people of Israel but an attack by Israel against Iran would only worsen the situation.
He stated that instead of a military attack, Israel should support the “democratic forces” in Iran which struggle for freedom.
Mohsen Makhmalbaf predicted, while making these statements, that he would soon face a wave of accusations, that he would be called a “spy of CIA and the Mossad.”
His prediction has come true in a way. Besides the media that is owned or affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran, a number of other Iranians inside and outside Iran (under the guise of peace and human rights activists and intellectuals), have published a letter condemning Makhmalbaf‘s trip to Israel “with grave concern” as it “violates human conscience” and stated that his presence at Jerusalem Film Festival was tantamount to support of the “apartheid politics of the Israeli government.”
It is at this juncture of time, and under the circumstances outlined above, we sign this letter to support and applaud Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s bravery for breaking the taboo of visiting the state of Israel and conveying the message of friendship between Iranian people and people of Isreal.
We believe that supporting the rights of the Palestinian people is not a sufficient justification to criticize an Iranian director’s professional trip to Israel.
We still remember those Israeli and Iranian citizens who last year launched a campaign of friendship between the two countries and exchanged written and video messages stating that they “loved “ each other just when it seemed that the chances of an Israeli strike against Iran was increasing.
We condemn the politics of war whether it is advanced by officials of the Islamic Regime or some officials in Israel. Instead, we endorse, support and welcome, the position of Mohsen Makhmalbaf that instead of a military attack, Iran’s “democratic forces” should be supported.
Just like Mohsen Makhmalbaf, we are unafraid to stretch out our hands in friendship with the citizens of Israel and believe that art can be a tool that brings people together regardless of people’s racial, linguistic and political differences.
We believe that instead of criticizing Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s trip to Israel, we should call him the ambassador of peace and friendship between the people of Iran and Israel.

Youhana Najdi