LONDON, August  21, 2009 (WAFA) - The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) welcomed Amnesty International (USA)'s decision to withdraw its plans to administer funds from a concert to be performed in Tel Aviv by Leonard Cohen.

Singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen has been asked to heed the Palestinian call for a cultural boycott of Israel and avoid complicity with Israel's violations of international law by cancelling his planned September concert in Israel. Pressure has grown internationally on performers, particularly following Israel's war crimes in Gaza, to refuse to perform in Israel whilst it is violating international law and continuing its illegal occupation.

Betty Hunter, General Secretary of PSC, said: The Palestinians have need of principled international friends and Amnesty has often filled that role.

The PSC were therefore shocked to hear about the proposed involvement of Amnesty in disbursing the profits of Leonard Cohen's concert to organizations such as the Peres Center for Peace whose function is to normalize the illegal occupation.

 ‘The Palestinians have asked us internationally to put pressure on Israel to abide by international law. We are therefore very pleased that Amnesty has taken this principled decision.'