Next week, the "Factory" gallery, a municipal asset in the heart of Jerusalem, will host an event titled "Writing as a Tool for Resistance in War."
The event is drawing sharp public criticism due to its content and the speakers involved.
According to the event announcement, one of the speakers will present a report he wrote against the State of Israel. The report, as stated in the announcement, accuses Israel of genocide and mass murder, and alleges that IDF soldiers are guilty of war crimes and the mass murder of babies.
Additionally, a professor is expected to speak about a play he wrote, in which, according to the claim, haredi Jews are referred to as "leeches."
Critics of the event argue that the gallery, which is a municipal property, has previously hosted offensive slogans such as "Death to Zionists" and events related to the Nakba, incitement against haredi Jews, and events by far-left organizations.
In response, the human rights organization "B'Tzalmo" has approached Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, demanding that the event be prevented. The organization's CEO, Shay Glick, stated that Jerusalem mourns the loss of its sons, and instead of events celebrating their heroism, this event accuses them of committing genocide.
City council members, including Deputy Mayor Aryeh King, Eldad Rabinovitz, and Yosef Chaim Moalem, also demanded the event be canceled. They argued that it is unacceptable for a municipal asset to host such events.
B'Tzalmo further claims that the venue's allocation expired a year ago, yet the event is still being held. They also assert that the Jerusalem Municipality has refused to present an updated contract.
The Jerusalem Municipality responded, "The municipality strongly opposes the use of offensive terms against any of the city's residents, even under the umbrella of freedom of expression. Similar to other local authorities, the Jerusalem Municipality provides financial support to a variety of cultural institutions in the city that are recognized as professional cultural institutions by the Ministry of Culture according to the law. As with many other cases, in this instance, the municipality is neither involved in nor a partner in funding the event mentioned in your inquiry or in choosing its content, neither directly nor indirectly."