Lorde meeting requested by Israeli ambassador following cancelled Tel Aviv concert
The ambassador reached out to the 'Melodrama' singer
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Your support makes all the difference.The Israeli ambassador to New Zealand has requested an in-person meeting with Lorde following her decision to cancel her Tel Aviv concert.
Dr Itzkah Gerberg penned an open letter on Facebook to the 21-year-old singer to speak to her further about the show.
In his note, Gerberg said: "It is regrettable that you have cancelled your concert in Tel Aviv and have disappointed all your fans in Israel. Music is a wonderful language of tolerance and friendship, which brings people together. Your concert in Israel could have spread the message that solutions come from constructive engagement that leads to compromise and cooperation."
He continued to explain how he saw her decision as divisive.
"Music should unite not divide, and your performance in Israel could have contributed to the spirit of hope and peace in the Middle East," Gerberg said. "Boycott and hate, on the other hand, represents hostility and intolerance, and I was sorry to see that you have succumbed to the supporters of a small fanatic group of BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanction) movement that denies the right of the State of Israel to exist and spreads hatred and animosity. I invite you to meet me in person to discuss Israel, its achievements and its role as the only democracy in the Middle East."
In addition to Gerberg's comments, Lorde received a statement from Israeli culture minister Miri Regev saying, "Lorde, I'm hoping you can be a 'pure heroine,' like the title of your first album, be a heroine of pure culture, free from any foreign - and ridiculous - political considerations."
On Monday, Lorde announced she'd cancel her June 5, 2018 concert date at the Tel Aviv Convention Centre.
Without mentioning the cultural boycott that has surfaced in Israel, Lorde opened up about the messages she received and meetings she had that swayed her decision.
"I pride myself on being an informed young citizen, and I had done a lot of reading and sought a lot of opinions before deciding to book a show in Tel Aviv, but I'm not too proud to admit I didn't make the right call on this one," the New Zealand pop star explained in a statement to the Jerusalem Post's Amy Spiro.
Lorde now joins artists like Roger Waters, Elvis Costello, Thurston Moore, Lauryn Hill and more who have chosen to withdraw their performances from Israel due to BDS pressure.
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