Israel boycott group welcomes American singer

The decision by American singer Lana Del Rey to cancel her appearance at Israel’s Meteor Festival planned for next week was welcomed by several groups advocating boycott of Israel until it ends its occupation of Palestinian people and land.

The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and Jewish Voice for Peace have actively campaigned to get Del Rey to cancel her performance in Israel and were able to gather 15,000 signatures on a petition calling on the American singer not to perform in Israel.

“To Lana Del Rey, and all artists scheduled at the Meteor Festival: Please don't let your music serve to cover up gross violations of human rights and violate the Palestinian picket line. We ask that you cancel your September concert at the Meteor Festival in Israel, and refrain from harming the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality,” PACBI and Jewish Voice for Peace said in their campaign.

“There's no neutrality in situations of injustice. Please stand with us on the right side of history to create a better world for all.”

PACBI welcomed in a tweet Del Rey’s decision to cancel her performance in Israel.

“Thank you @LanaDelRey for your principled decision to withdraw from Israel's Meteor Festival. Palestinians hope to hear you play when Israel's occupation and apartheid end.”

Del Rey, who had previously said she would perform in Israel in spite of the boycott campaign, had a change of heart and tweeted on Friday that she has decided to postpone her appearance until a time she can perform for both Palestinians and Israelis.

“It’s important to me to perform in both Palestine and Israel and treat all my fans equally,” she wrote. “Unfortunately, it hasn’t been possible to line up both visits with such a short notice and therefore I’m postponing my appearance at the Meteor Festival until a time when I can schedule visit to both my Israeli and Palestinian fans, as well as hopefully other countries in the region.”

PACBI, member of the larger Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, also called on other performers to pull out from the festival which will be held in northern Israel.

“We urge all participating artists in the festival to respect our nonviolent picket line,” said PACBI.

It was joined by world famous singer Roger Waters in calling on artists who until now have not cancelled their performance at the Meteor Festival to do so.

In a tweet to Kamasi Washington, who so far has not cancelled, Waters wrote:

“Dear Kamasi… Given that Lana Del Rey has now cancelled, you are the only notable standout. Please don’t play the Meteor Festival in Tel Aviv. To do so would be a betrayal of everyone who ever stood up for civil or human rights anywhere.”

PACBI said artists DJ Volvox, DJ Python, Shanti Celeste, DJ Seinfeld, Black Motion and bands Khalas and Zenobia and another who preferred to remain anonymous have also cancelled their appearance at the festival, as work continues on the remaining handful of artists to pull out.