Opposition to Zionism, the state ideology of Israel, does not amount to anti-Semitism, renowned cultural critic Ranjit Hoskote has said in the letter of resignation he has submitted to the German art festival Documenta 16. Mr. Hoskote, who was chosen earlier this year to serve as a member of the festival’s prestigious selection committee, was accused of having anti-Semitic views after a Boycott, Divestment, Sanction (BDS) India chapter letter from 2019 resurfaced, prompting German government officials to threaten a cut in funding for the Documenta 16 exhibition.
“It pains me to say that such circumstances negate Documenta’s historic openness to a diversity of positions and its capacity for sustaining the life of the imagination in a supportive environment. I greatly fear that these circumstances will compromise the generosity of spirit and the willingness to engage in dialogue that have long been sterling features of Germany’s contribution to a global cultural politics,” Mr. Hoskote said in his resignation letter, which was circulated through his social media handle on X.
The issue has acquired media focus in Germany in the context of the Israeli campaign in Gaza, which has led to an increase in incidents of anti-Semitism in Germany. Because of its history of Nazi persecution of the Jewish community, Germany has in place stringent measures that prevent public criticism of Israel. In 2019, the German Parliament condemned the BDS movement as “anti-Semitic”.
