Singer Demi Lovato apologized on Oct.3 for her recent visit to Israel, stating she didn’t intend to make “a political statement” during her visit.
Lovato posted, in a since-deleted Instagram story, that she was “extremely frustrated” over receiving heat online for her Israel visit, saying that she went to Israel for free “in exchange for a few posts” about the Jewish state.
“Sometimes people present you with opportunities and no one tells you the potential backlash you could face in return,” Lovato wrote. “This was meant to be a spiritual experience for me, NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT and now I realize it hurt people and for that I’m sorry. Sorry I’m not more educated, and sorry for thinking this trip was just a spiritual experience.”
According to the Times of Israel, it’s not known who provided Lovato with the free trip.
Among Lovato’s Instagram posts about Israel included visits to Yad Vashem and Shalva National Center – which describes itself as providing services for “people with disabilities from infancy to adulthood and their families” on its website – as well as being baptized in the Jordan River.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3F1tVohjwp/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3F3chlBGNJ/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3F4g13hgX-/
Pro-Israel activist Hen Mazzig tweeted, “Demi Lovato visited Israel & nest of antisemitic trolls started attacking her on Instagram for visiting the only democracy in the Middle East. You’re from America, you have camps with children at your border. We’re not perfect, but don’t come to here & post things like that.”
Demi Lovato visited Israel & nest of antisemitic trolls started attacking her on Instagram for visiting the only democracy in the Middle East. You’re from America, you have camps with children at your border. We’re not perfect, but don’t come to here & post things like that, FFS pic.twitter.com/GhHeYjBZtM
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) October 3, 2019
Washington Examiner Magazine Executive Editor Seth Mandel tweeted, “This is what she’s feeling made to apologize for. Bringing smiles to the faces of Jewish children with special needs. BDS [boycott, divestment and sanctions] is a genuinely cruel way to express hatred of Jews.”
Just fyi, one pic she posted I saw yesterday was her meeting with special-needs kids.
This is what she's feeling made to apologize for. Bringing smiles to the faces of Jewish children with special needs.
BDS is a genuinely cruel way to express hatred of Jews.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) October 3, 2019
Watchdog group StopAntisemitism.org tweeted, “You’re a grown woman w/ a massive social media following who was offered a press trip; don’t make it seem like you were tricked into going to #Israel.”
1. You’re a grown woman w/ a massive social media following who was offered a press trip; don’t make it seem like you were tricked into going to #Israel
2. Now you pissed off Jews AND Arabs 😂
3. Did your publicist yell at you so you removed this IG story? #DemiLovato pic.twitter.com/MO1h2oyYiS
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 3, 2019
4. You caved to #antisemitic trolls, simple.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 3, 2019
Be a #JLo Not a #Demi pic.twitter.com/pNb6ECCcHd
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 3, 2019
The Washington Examiner’s Madeline Fry wrote, “In all of her posts about the trip, Lovato said nothing about the Israel-Palestine conflict. The singer was among millions of tourists who visit Israel each year. While we’re getting angry at celebrities for going abroad, where was the outrage over Katie Holmes and Idris Elba visiting Saudi Arabia, with its awful human rights record, last year?”
