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British Lawyers Send Major UK Studios, Distributors Legal Warning Over Israel Film Boycott
Small toy figures are seen in front of displayed Netflix logo in this illustration taken March 19, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
An association of British lawyers who support Israel sent roughly 6o of the biggest film industry companies and agencies in the United Kingdom a legal warning about a pledge to boycott Israeli film institutions that has already garnered support from thousands in the film business.
“This boycott breaches the law in this country which protects people of all religions, races, and nationalities from discrimination,” Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), said in a statement to The Algemeiner on Monday. “If we allow celebrities to discriminate in this way, then it erodes the protection for everyone.”
Javier Bardem, Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, and Emma Stone are among the more than 4,000 film industry professionals who signed the “Film Workers Pledge to End Complicity” last month, vowing not to work with Israeli film institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters, and production companies – which they claim are “implicated” in “genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.” The pledge defines “implicated” as “whitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government committing them.” The boycott was spearheaded by the group “Filmworkers for Palestine.”
In a recent letter sent to major film companies — including the UK divisions of Netflix, Warner Bros, Disney, Amazon Studios, Apple, and Discovery — UKLFI argued that the boycott of Israeli film institutions is a breach of the UK’s Equality Act 2010 (EA). The law prohibits direct or indirect discrimination against persons because of “protected characteristics,” which include race, religion, and philosophical belief. “Race” includes nationality and ethnicity, and “philosophical belief” includes belief in the right of Jews to self-determination, according to UKLFI.
“[EA] is the key legislation in the UK protecting against racism and discriminatory treatment,” stated the letter, which was obtained by The Algemeiner. “If the UK television and film industry colludes with acts contrary to this legislation, organizations are themselves likely to be in breach. It also creates a dangerous precedent: one that condones the exclusion of individuals and/or organizations based solely on their nationality, ethnicity, and/or religion.”
“The boycott actively encourages its signatories to undertake discriminatory conduct contrary to the EA,” UKLFI further stated in its letter.
Domestic companies in the UK – such as the BBC, Film4, and ITV – also received the letter from UKLFI, as well as the film organizations BFI and Pact, the talent agencies Curtis Brown and United Agents, and unions such as Bectu and Equity.
UKLFI also said in its letter that any discrimination that breaches the EA can result in “potential legal, insurance, and funding issues” for the companies. They noted that efforts to breach the UK’s Equality Act are “highly likely to be a litigation risk,” and a deliberate breach of discrimination legislation could even invalidate insurance policies. Participating in the anti-Israel boycott may negatively affect funding for the company since financiers “typically require compliance” with anti-discriminatory laws, according to the group of lawyers. This means that any breach of the EA because of the boycott could result in a film being ineligible for government funding, or withdrawal of financing already granted, UKLFI claimed.
“It follows that a breach of the [EA] through the boycott, would render a film ineligible for government funding, or trigger clawback of finance already granted,” the letter noted.
UKLFI further stated that these companies could potentially be liable for any breaches of the Equality Act by their “staff and agents.” Actors, agents, managers, production companies, producers, and “anyone else who instructs, causes, induces, or helps to implement the boycott – for example, encouraging a distributor not to deal with Israeli outlets, or advising a colleague to insist on a boycott clause,” could also be liable for a breach of law.
“Producers and other contracting parties should also be aware that knowingly enabling or acquiescing to discriminatory demands – for example, by agreeing to exclude Israeli distributors or institutions from financing or distribution arrangements – may itself give rise to liability under the Equality Act,” UKLFI added.
The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights under Law recently sent a letter to major American film industry companies stating that the boycott infringes US federal and state civil rights laws. The letter was sent to major film studios, distributors, platforms, talent agencies, and film festivals. UKLFI noted in the letter it sent out this week to major film industry companies in the UK that if any of the organizations also operate in the US and participate in the boycott, they may be in breach of US laws as well.
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Indonesia Denies Prabowo Visit to Israel, Raising Questions Over Middle East Diplomacy
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrives in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to attend the Gaza peace summit with world leaders. Photo: Screenshot
Indonesia has publicly denied that President Prabowo Subianto will visit Israel this week, contradicting media reports that he would become the first Indonesian head of state to do so and raising questions about Jakarta’s approach to Middle East diplomacy.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Sugiono said there was “no such plan” for Subianto to visit Israel, adding that he will return to Jakarta after attending the Gaza peace summit in Egypt, where leaders signed a US-brokered agreement aimed at ending the two-year conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
Sugiono’s announcement followed media reports suggesting that preparations were underway for a historic visit to Israel, with Subianto potentially arriving on Tuesday or Wednesday
As the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation with no diplomatic ties to Israel, Indonesia would make history if its president were to visit the Jewish state, potentially opening the door to broader regional normalization efforts.
Subianto traveled to Egypt on Monday to join world leaders at the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit to discuss the future of Gaza and post-war reconstruction efforts.
“Indonesia is fully committed to promoting peace in the Middle East region,” the Indonesian leader said in a statement.
Hari ini, saya berkunjung ke Republik Arab Mesir untuk menghadiri Konferensi Tingkat Tinggi (KTT) Perdamaian Sharm El-Sheikh. Dalam forum ini, saya akan menyaksikan penandatanganan perjanjian perdamaian dan penghentian perang di Gaza.
Indonesia berkomitmen penuh untuk mendorong… pic.twitter.com/5cfLMV9wBA
— Prabowo Subianto (@prabowo) October 13, 2025
Even though Subianto has advocated for Israel’s right to exist and live in security at the United Nations General Assembly last month, he has also called for the establishment of a Palestinian state — a move that, Israeli officials have warned, would reward terrorism.
Indonesia has also repeatedly condemned Israel on the international stage, falsely accusing the Jewish state of committing genocide during its defensive campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
Last week, the Indonesian government imposed a ban on Israeli athletes from entering the country for an international gymnastics competition, citing protest against the war in Gaza.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra – Indonesia’s minister for law, human rights, and immigration – announced that Israeli athletes will be denied visas to enter Indonesia for the competition.
“The government will not grant visas to Israeli gymnasts who intend to attend the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta,” Mahendra said on Thursday.
The decision was made following directives from Subianto, who condemned Israel for its military actions in the Gaza Strip during his speech at the UN General Assembly.
In 2023, Indonesia was stripped of hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup because of protests in the country regarding Israel’s participation in the international soccer competition.
That same year, the ANOC World Beach Games was canceled after Indonesia abruptly pulled out as hosts in protest of Israel’s involvement.
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Kamala Harris on whether Israel committed genocide: ‘We should all step back and ask this question’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris held back from labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide” on Sunday but said it was an appropriate question.
“A lot of folks in your party have called what’s happening in Gaza a genocide. Do you agree with that?” correspondent Eugene Daniels asked Harris during an interview on MSNBC’s “The Weekend.”
“Listen, it is a term of law that a court will decide,” Harris responded. “But I will tell you that when you look at the number of children that have been killed, the number of innocent civilians that have been killed, the refusal to give aid and support, we should all step back and ask this question and be honest about it, yeah.”
Several lawmakers, including Vermont’s Jewish Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, and far-right Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have described Israel’s conduct in Gaza over the past two years in Gaza as a genocide, but the allegation has not gotten mainstream support in Congress.
Throughout Harris’ book tour for her new memoir, “107 Days,” the former vice president has drawn pro-Palestinian protests who have accused her of being a “war criminal” and of supporting “genocide” in Gaza during her term. She has at times rebuffed the protesters and also given airtime to their concerns.
“I was the first person at the highest level of our United States government or administration to talk about the fact that the people in Gaza were starving,” Harris told protesters at a book event last month, according to the Washington Post.
Later in the interview, Daniels asked Harris whether she agreed that President Donald Trump should be “commended” for his role in brokering the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel that saw the release of the 20 living hostages on Monday.
“I don’t think we should hold any credit where it’s due,” said Harris. “I really do hope it becomes real and that the hostages are out, that Gaza is no longer being treated with such brutality of force, that aid goes in. I commend the people who have been a part of this process. I commend the Qataris, the Egyptians, and the president.”
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Eurovision Song Contest Organizer Calls Off November Vote on Israel Participation
A logo of the Eurovision Song Contest is seen in front of the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, May 1, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Eurovision Song Contest organizers will no longer meet online in November to vote on Israel‘s participation in the competition, following Middle East “developments,” the European Broadcasting Union said on Monday in an apparent reference to the Gaza ceasefire.
Austria had appealed to countries not to boycott next year’s contest – due to be held in Vienna – over Israel‘s participation and concerns about the two-year-old Gaza conflict.
Eurovision, which stresses its political neutrality, has faced controversy this year linked to the war, and several countries had pledged to withdraw from the event if Israel took part.
Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, which will host the 2026 contest, told Reuters it welcomed the EBU’s decision.
On Monday the Hamas Palestinian terrorist group freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza and Israel sent home busloads of Palestinian detainees, under a ceasefire deal aimed at bringing an end to the two-year-old war.
“The Board agreed to put the issue on the agenda of its ordinary Winter General Assembly, which will be taking place in December,” instead of the extraordinary meeting which had been slated to take place online in November, an EBU statement said.
It said that following “recent developments in the Middle East” the Executive Board agreed on Monday that there should be an in-person discussion among Members “on the issue of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.”
The EBU did not clarify, when asked by Reuters, if a vote on Israeli broadcaster KAN’s participation would still go ahead, and said further details about the session will be shared with EBU Members in the coming weeks.
KAN did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
In September a letter from the EBU’s President said the executive board recognized that it could not reach a consensual position on KAN’s participation in the competition.
“Given that the Union has never faced a divisive situation like this before, the Board agreed that this question merited a broader democratic basis for a decision,” Delphine Ernotte Cunci said in the letter.