Page "Ken Loach" Paragraph 25

In response, former Channel 4 chief executive Sir Jeremy Isaacs describing Loach's intervention as an act of censorship, he said: " They must not allow someone who has no real position, no rock to stand on, to interfere with their programming.

" Later, a spokesman for the EIFF said that although it had returned £ 300 to the Israeli Embassy, the festival itself would fund Israeli filmmaker Tali Shalom-Ezer's travel to Edinburgh out of its own budget.

In an open letter to Ms Shalom Ezer, Ken Loach wrote " From the beginning, Israel and its supporters have attacked their critics as anti-semites or racists.

It is a tactic to undermine rational debate.

To be crystal clear: as a film maker you will receive a warm welcome in Edinburgh.

You are not censored or rejected.

The opposition was to the Festival ’ s taking money from the Israeli state ".

To his critics, he added later: " The boycott, as anyone who takes the trouble to investigate knows, is aimed at the Israeli state.

" Loach said he had a " respectful and reasoned " conversation with event organisers, saying they should not be accepting funds from Israel.