Lana Del Rey has defended her decision to defy those calling for a boycott of Israel by playing at the country’s Meteor Festival.
Lana Del Rey, 33, announced she would be appearing at the event in Tel Aviv next month (Sep18), spurring activists supportive of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement – who campaign for firms and individuals to cut economic and cultural ties with Israel due to its government’s alleged human rights violations in its treatment of Palestinians – to urge her to cancel the booking.
In a statement posted to Twitter, the defiant star addressed criticism from fans and activists – writing that her gig was not a “political statement” and that she hoped to promote peace and “loving energy” during her performance.
Continuing in her defence, Lana compared performing in Tel Aviv while disagreeing with the Israeli government’s policies to playing a gig in the U.S. – even though she is a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump.
“I would like to remind you that performing in Tel Aviv is not a political statement or a commitment to the politics there just as singing here in California doesn’t mean my views are in alignment w(ith) my current governments opinions or sometimes inhuman actions,” she added, before stating that she was not “likening the gravity” of “certain travesties” occurring in Israel to events in the U.S.
Activists from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), a leading BDS group, asked the Young and Beautiful singer to withdraw from the event.
“We urge you to reconsider,” they wrote in tweet to the star. “We doubt that you would have played in apartheid South Africa; likewise, artists refuse to play in apartheid Israel. Please respect our nonviolent picket line, and cancel your Meteor performance.
Although the BDS campaign is more than a decade old it has gained greater prominence in recent years due to support from the likes of Pink Floyd star Roger Waters and Brian Eno – who have denounced their fellow artists for playing gigs in Israel.
The Meteor festival runs from 6 to 8 September – with Kamasi Washington, Flying Lotus, Pusha T and Soulwax also joining Lana on the bill.
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