Lebanese author faces BDS attack after interview with Israeli station

Lebanese author Amin Maalouf is under a BDS attack after speaking with i24, an Israeli news station, about the importance of culture in promoting cross-cultural dialogue.

The Lebanese branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement has issued a statement asking Maalouf to apologize for the interview, in which the interviewer acknowledged Maalouf's Lebanese origins and normalized the relationship between the two countries.

"We call upon the prominent Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf to apologize for that interview – out of respect to the martyrs, the prisoners and their families, and the Lebanese and Palestinians displaced and refugees, and out of respect to the (presumed) role of culture in service of justice and humanity," the movement said in a statement .

The movement emphasized that the founder of the station, who is of Moroccan origin, Patrick Drahi, the owner of HOT, an Israeli cable television company, is the richest man in the Zionist entity.

Following the claims, the BDS movement questioned whether Maalouf knew the station's origins prior to the interview or not.

"If so, that means he would be using his fame, his creative excellence, and his membership in the French Academy to achieve the goal of the station – i.e. to connect Israel to the world. He would be giving immoral 'legitimacy' to the Israeli media, one of the critical tools of occupation, settlements, crimes, displacement, and racism," the movement said .

"The dumpster of history welcomes a newcomer Amin Maalouf"

"When an intellectual betrays you, the manners and morals you have learned from their work betrays you. Amin Maalouf has tarnished the dream I had of a national author"

"The only difference between Amin Maalouf and your leaders is that this man went public on TV" 

"I just want a person from the boycott movement to point out one sentence in the Amin Maalouf interview that they object to. I will then join the movement blindly." 

"To boycott a writer whose political beliefs have let you down is the same as boycotting a baker because your car broke down! Mixing literary works with personal beliefs regarding the Amin Maalouf incident is utter rubbish"

BDS Lebanon will also be holding a protest later Friday afternoon gathering journalists, artists and media professionals in support of the boycott movement.

"Today, at 5 pm we will be holding a protest regarding the Amin Maalouf interview with Israeli station i24"