More than 150 Irish artists have announced that they will not perform or exhibit in Israel, or accept any funding from any institutions connected to the Israeli government.

The Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) has announced this move with the aim of protesting Israel's "treatment of the Palestinian people"

Raymond Dean, from the IPSC said “Artists who perform there are backing it [the Israeli government] whether they like it or not.”

Irish artists signed a pledge that they would continue their boycott "until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights”.

Deane said: “You can’t really pin this down…at least an end of the occupation of Palestine; dismantling or at least stopping the settlements; and Israel negotiating in good faith with the Palestinians”.

He also quoted a statement from the Foreign Ministry in Israeli, in 2005. It said Israel considers culture to be a propaganda tool.

Dublin singer-songwriter, Damien Dempsey, said that he hoped that the artists boycott might encourage the young people of Israel to "speak out" against the government. He said the world needs to stand up against the Israeli military.

Folk musician, Donal Lunny, said he has signed the pledge to "express solidarity with the Palestinian people”.

Eoin Dillon, from the band Kila, was asked if he thought the pledge would be successful. He said "It worked in South Africa.”

A spokesperson from the Israeli embassy said that the boycott was "regrettable and ill-advised”. He said that the pledge was “vilifying and ostracizing Israel and promoting a lose-lose program of boycotts is not the way to secure legitimate Palestinian rights”.

