The popular movement these days: Unfollow celebrities who stay silent about the atrocities against Palestinians

Alongside the growing boycott of Israel campaign, another movement has emerged to confront celebrities and influencers who remain silent about the crimes of the Zionist regime.

According to Pars Today, the widespread atrocities against the people of Gaza have led to the expansion of the resistance front against the Zionist regime on a global scale. People in the West and East are spontaneously working to harm the economy of the fake Israeli regime by boycotting Israeli products and companies that have extensive relations with this criminal regime.

The 'Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions' (BDS) campaign, after nearly 20 years of activity, has once again gained attention worldwide. The BDS movement is calling on its supporters to refrain from participating in cultural institutions of the Zionist regime. The campaign also demands non-cooperation with Israeli universities and research centers that are suspected of promoting inhumane narratives about Palestinians and occupied territories.

One of the strategies of the BDS movement is to encourage musicians, artists, and other celebrities not to travel to the Occupied Territories.

Last November, three Palestinians took to the stage at the opening of a prestigious documentary film festival in Amsterdam, holding a placard that read 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.' The audience burst into applause. The Haaretz newspaper reported on the incident, stating that cultural boycotts of Israel are on the rise worldwide.

Alongside the growing boycott of Israel campaign, another movement has emerged to confront celebrities and influencers who remain silent about the crimes of the Zionist regime. This media campaign began at the Met Gala art festival.

The Met Gala is an annual event for artists and fashion designers, held to raise funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The story began when the publication of photos of Hollywood actors and famous singers on the red carpet at this year's Met Gala event sparked outrage among social media users. This was because, at the same time, news and images of the Zionist regime's attack on the city of Rafah were circulating. Many people saw the event as an attempt to downplay and distract from the ongoing crimes in Gaza.

Haley Kalil, a former American model, responded to the hunger of Gaza's children by saying, "Let them eat cake." 

This statement sparked widespread outrage among social media users, with many calling her the first person to be "beheaded" by digital justice.

Haley Kalil is an influencer and model who, before the Met Gala, published a video of herself wearing an 18th-century-style dress, with the style of Marie Antoinette.

Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France before the revolution, was beheaded by guillotine by the French revolutionaries after the overthrow of Louis XVI.

What sparked outrage among social media users was Haley's reference to a phrase attributed to Marie Antoinette. According to historical accounts, when the French people, who were suffering from hunger, revolted, Marie Antoinette, who was living in luxury in the Palace of Versailles, asked about the reason for the people's discontent. When she was told that the people were protesting because they had no bread, she replied, "Let them eat cake."

In the meantime, social media users invited each other to add a name to the "Digital Guillotine" campaign. The coincidence of this campaign with the protests of American university students added to its strength and influence. Now, dozens of accounts on TikTok and other social media platforms, including Instagram and Twitter, are calling on users to end the "modern idolatry" of celebrities and put an end to the worship and admiration of celebrities.

This movement believes that the number of followers often symbolizes the influence and popularity of celebrities, which can generate income for them and is part of their brand. Therefore, by blocking or unfollowing their accounts, they can be held accountable for their moral and human responsibilities.

American celebrities are not the only ones facing a wave of backlash and unfollowing on social media for their silence in the face of the Zionist regime's crimes.

Jewish celebrities, artists, and filmmakers within occupied Palestine are facing a crisis in holding festivals and limiting their artistic activities due to the widespread crimes committed by Israeli soldiers. All major film festivals around the world are forced to consider protests in support of Palestinians, to prevent any Israeli film or artist's presence become a scandal.

Haaretz wrote in this regard:

The invitation to guests at the annual Jerusalem Writers Festival in the Occupied Territories has faced problems due to widespread political opposition. The 12th edition of the festival has also faced difficulties due to political opposition.

Haaretz also wrote about the reception of Israeli writers abroad: "The situation has changed from a simple opposition to hosting them to requesting writers to issue a statement about their political stance as a condition for participating in programs." Haaretz concluded, citing widespread opposition from foreign writers, especially young writers, to translating their books into Hebrew and publishing them in the Occupied Territories: "The growing trend is that Israel is being boycotted around the world, and Israeli tourists are hiding their identity to avoid being boycotted."

Key phrases: Boycott Israel, power of boycott, Gaza war, war in Palestine

MG/BK