Berlin, ALRAY - The Mazaj Syrian Band retreated from taking part at the Bob Coulter Music Festival co-sponsored by the Israeli Embassy in Berlin.

“We proudly declare our boycott to participate at the Bob Coulter Music Festival,” the Band said in a statement following the withdrawal.

The Band indicated that a while ago, the musician Abu Hajar, one of the Band’s members, had been invited with Gimik Gemoffet to present a ceremony at the Bob Coulter Music Festival in Berlin, which is considered to be one of most important music festivals in the city.

According to the invitation, both musicians had been preparing for a long period of time a new project that was scheduled to be launched during the Festival having the title, “Oslander Pihordi - Foreigners Office".

The main purpose of the project was mocking through music and speech the mentality that governs Foreigners Office of the German Government in their dealing with anyone who needs reasons to prove his will to stay in Germany, the mentality of tolerance with difference, and the mentality of the European colonialism, as stated by the Band.

In turn, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement praised position of Mazaj’s withdrawal from the Festival, saying that this position comes as an extension of the Arab and Syrian national position that rejects ratification and normalization OF relations with the Israeli settlement and apartheid system in the International forums.

BDS movement called upon musicians and bands participating in the Festival to follow the step of Mazaj Band by declaring the immediate withdrawal from the Festival.