Jack Persekian

He lost his position over a controversial artwork that was banned from the art show following an intervention by Sharjah’s ruler, Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi.

He resigned from his position at the end of 2015, less than a year before the museum’s official inauguration, over differences with some of the main financial backers of the project.

[citation needed] In 2016, Persekian was awarded the Palestine Order of Merit for Culture, Sciences and Arts by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

[9] Persekian is openly critical of the ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories since 1967 and the resulting discrimination of non-Israeli residents.

Citing his personal experience as a Palestinian, non-Jewish Jerusalem resident and subject to Israeli laws, he says he cannot accept any of the lucrative international job offers that would require him to leave the city borders for half a year without risking his residency status and property of his family’s home in East Jerusalem.