The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

As a call for a cultural boycott of Israel signed by hundreds of musicians continued to circulate Tuesday, the head of an entertainment industry organization said that such efforts are “merely another roadblock to peace.”

“Boycotts are also an affront to Palestinian and Israeli moderates alike who are seeking to reach peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition,” Ari Ingel, director of the non-profit Creative Community for Peace, told The Algemeiner on Tuesday. “It is these voices who we should amplify.”

The comments came in response to an open letter signed last week by at some 600 musicians — including Patti Smith, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, and The Roots’ Questlove — calling on other artists to boycott Israel and publicly show solidarity with Palestinians.

“If musicians were to only play in countries where they approve of everything a government does, we would soon be living in a world without live music,” Ingel continued. “While we may not all agree with some of the policies and actions of the Israeli and Palestinian governments, just as we may not agree with the actions or policies of the American or British governments, we should all believe in the power of artists and their ability to affect lives and effect positive change in the world. This is especially true with music, which has the ability to bring together people of all backgrounds.”

He added, “While politicians on both sides of the conflict hold some blame to the current impasse in peace negotiations, unifying activities, like concerts, are crucial to help bridge the cultural divide and bring Arabs and Jews together in the shared love of music.”

The May 27 boycott letter also accused Israel of war crimes and said the Israeli government “operates a settler-colonial project committed to the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population.”

Other signatories included, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Chromeo, DJ Snake, and the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Anti-Defamation League called the boycott of Israeli cultural institutions “a divisive action that does nothing to advance peace and understanding,” and said that it was “sad to see so many musicians falling prey to #BDS’s campaign, and adding their name to this incredibly hateful anti-Israel letter.”