Art has always been a sanctuary—a space where human creativity transcends politics and prejudice. It is a realm where the stories of individuals, no matter their background or nationality, are given a stage to shine. Or at least, that is how it should be. Increasingly, however, Israeli voices are being systematically silenced, excluded, and erased from cultural spaces under the flimsiest of pretexts.

The recent treatment of Israeli choreographer Dor Eldar provides yet another chilling example of this trend. Eldar’s film, Rave, was accepted and scheduled to be shown at the Exeter International Dance Festival, a platform ostensibly dedicated to celebrating global artistic expression. Yet, at the last moment, Eldar was informed that his film would not be shown after all. The reason? Pressure from sponsors and other filmmakers who objected to the participation of an Israeli artist.

This was not a matter of merit or artistic value—far from it. It was a decision based purely on prejudice, a capitulation to the increasingly loud and aggressive voices that seek to vilify and delegitimise Israel and, by extension, all who bear its nationality. Eldar himself captured the gravity of the situation in his response: "I have always heard about anti-Semitism; now I know what it is and what it feels like to be excluded."

The arts have always served as a bridge, a means of fostering dialogue, understanding, and connection across divides. Yet, we are now witnessing a deeply disturbing trend: the weaponisation of the arts as a tool for enforcing political bias and exclusion.

What happened to Dor Eldar is not just an act of individual discrimination—it is part of a broader, more sinister movement. It represents the infiltration of ideological agendas into the cultural spaces that were once celebrated for their inclusivity and universality. Festivals like the Exeter International Dance Festival are meant to showcase the diversity of human creativity. Instead, they are being turned into platforms for censorship and exclusion.

The message being sent is clear: Israeli voices, regardless of their political affiliations or artistic intent, are unwelcome. This is not merely an attack on Israelis; it is an attack on the principles of artistic freedom and intellectual integrity.

This should serve as a wake-up call for anyone who believes in the values of free expression and open exchange. The silencing of Israeli voices is not just a problem for Israel or for the Jewish people—it is a problem for the entire cultural and intellectual world. If artists can be censored based on their nationality or the political pressures of a vocal minority, no creator is safe.

More broadly, it reflects the creeping cowardice of our cultural institutions. These are institutions that, when faced with the baying mob, too often choose appeasement over principle. By bowing to those who seek to exclude Israeli artists, the organisers of the Exeter International Dance Festival have abandoned the core tenets of artistic expression. They have shown that their commitment to inclusivity and freedom is nothing more than a hollow platitude, discarded the moment it becomes inconvenient.

Dor Eldar’s exclusion is not just his personal tragedy—it is a moral failure of those who claim to stand for artistic freedom. It is incumbent upon us to call out this hypocrisy for what it is: a betrayal of the very values the arts are supposed to uphold.

This is not simply a question of supporting one Israeli artist; it is about defending the principle that art should remain above the petty machinations of political bias. It is about ensuring that no artist, regardless of their nationality, religion, or politics, is excluded because their very existence offends the sensibilities of the ideologically intolerant.

We must not let this moment pass in silence. We must demand accountability from those who caved to prejudice and fear. We must make it clear that art, in its truest form, is a celebration of humanity in all its complexity—a space where differences are explored, not erased.

By standing with Dor Eldar, we stand for freedom, for courage, and for the unassailable right of every artist to have their voice heard. To do otherwise is to allow the darkness of censorship and bigotry to snuff out the light of creativity that art was meant to foster.