American R&B singer Lauryn Hill canceled a performance in Israel three days ahead of the scheduled concert.
Hill, who was scheduled to perform in Rishon LeZion on Thursday, said in a statement posted late Monday on her Facebook page that she canceled because she was unable to schedule a concert on the trip in Palestinian-controlled Ramallah in the West Bank.
“Setting up a performance in the Palestinian Territory, at the same time as our show in Israel, proved to be a challenge,” Hill wrote. “I’ve wanted very much to bring our live performance to this part of the world, but also to be a presence supporting justice and peace. It is very important to me that my presence or message not be misconstrued, or a source of alienation to either my Israeli or my Palestinian fans. For this reason, we have decided to cancel the upcoming performance in Israel, and seek a different strategy to bring my music to ALL of my fans in the region.”
The post had nearly 16,000 likes some 14 hours after it was posted.
Hill had come under fire in recent days from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement calling on her to cancel her Israel concert.
British rock star Robbie Williams performed in Israel just days ago despite pressure from BDS and former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, a BDS activist.
