A galaxy of British artists and authors have backed a network promoting coexistence and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, partly to counter support for a cultural boycott of Israel.

JK Rowling, Hilary Mantel, Simon Schama and Zoë Wanamaker are among more than 150 figures from arts and politics who have signed a letter announcing Culture for Coexistence, published by the Guardian.

“Cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory and will not further peace,” the letter says. “Open dialogue and interaction promote greater understanding and mutual acceptance and it is through such understanding and acceptance that movement can be made towards a resolution of the conflict.”



The signatories endorse a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, “so that the national self-determination of both peoples is realised”.



The letter concludes: “Cultural engagement builds bridges, nurtures freedom and positive movement for change. We wholly endorse encouraging such a powerful tool for change rather than boycotting its use.”



Some of the network’s supporters are closely aligned with Israel. Loraine da Costa, who chairs Culture for Coexistence, was on the executive board of Conservative Friends of Israel until last year. She has also been involved in One Family UK, an organisation “dedicated to helping all those in Israel whose lives have been blighted by terror”, according to its website. Da Costa said her involvement in both organisations was “irrelevant” to the network.



Among the signatories is Eric Pickles, a former cabinet minister and chairman of the Conservative party, who is currently chairman of Conservative Friends of Israel. Several other Tory MPs who have signed the letter are members of or associated with Conservative Friends of Israel.



Michael Dugher, the shadow culture secretary, and another signatory, is a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel.



There is a striking absence of Palestinian names on the list of Culture for Coexistence supporters. “This is essentially a British initiative – we haven’t reached out to Israelis or Palestinians,” said da Costa. “If there are Palestinians who’d like to be part of our initiative, we’d love to reach out to them.”



The group was established in response to a letter in the Guardian in February, signed by around 700 artists, which called for a cultural boycott of Israel. Its supporters – who included Caryl Churchill, Peter Kosminsky, Gillian Slovo and Mike Leigh – pledged to decline professional invitations to Israel and funding from any institution linked to its government.

Saying that “Israel’s wars are fought on the cultural front too”, the February letter called on the country to respect international law and end “its colonial oppression of the Palestinians”.



Da Costa said supporters of Culture for Coexistence rejected boycotts. “Culture has a unique ability to bring people together and bridge division,” she said. The organisation wanted be “a tiny part of the jigsaw that can work towards breaking down barriers”.



The network was planning a seminar to discuss the merits or otherwise of boycott as a political tool, to which pro-boycott artists would be invited, she said. It also hoped to “take people to Israel and the Palestinian territories to have a dialogue with cultural counterparts there”.

