Lana Del Rey has defended her decision to perform in Israel this week – defying calls for a cultural boycott of the country.
The American singer faced a backlash after she joined the line-up of the inaugural Meteor Festival, which will take place from September 6 to September 8.
In response, she tweeted that performing in Israel “is not a political statement”, nor was it an endorsement of the policies of the Israeli government.
She said: “I understand many of you are upset that we’re going to Tel Aviv for the Meteor festival, I understand your concern, I really do. What I can tell you is I believe music is universal and should be used to bring us together.
“If you don’t agree with it I get it. I see both sides. We don’t always agree with the politics of the places we play within or even in our own country.
“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 with my current government’s opinions or sometimes inhuman actions.
“I’m just stating that I’m a simple singer, I’m doing my best to navigate the waters of the constant tumultuous hardships in the war-torn countries all over the world that I travel through monthly.”
The Meteor Festival will take place in Lehavot HaBashan, a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee, rather than in Tel Aviv.
The Palestine Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel issued a statement in response, saying: “We urge you to reconsider. We doubt that you would have played in apartheid South Africa; likewise, artists refuse to play in apartheid Israel.”
Calls for international performers to boycott Israel are commonplace, and in December New Zealand singer Lorde cancelled a scheduled appearance in Tel Aviv, making the decision following “a lot of discussions with people holding many views”.
Brian Eno, Roger Waters and Peter Gabriel are well-known advocates of a cultural boycott, while other artists, such as Radiohead and Nick Cave, have resisted calls to cancel concerts.
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