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By ILANIT CHERNICK <\/p>\n
(TPS.ogr) — Following weeks of pressure from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Lana Del Rey has canceled her performance at the Meteor Festival.<\/p>\n
The festival is scheduled to kick off next week at Kibbutz Lehavot HaBashan in the Galilee.<\/p>\n
In a statement on Twitter, Del Rey said that her reason for \u201cpostponing\u201d her appearance was because she was unable to \u201cschedule visits for both my Israeli and Palestinian fans.\u201d Del Ray has announced previously that she was adding a visit to Gaza, but that she would honor her commitment to appear next week at the festival scheduled to be held in the Galilee area.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, it hasn\u2019t been possible to line up both visits with such a short notice and therefore I\u2019m postponing my appearance at the Meteor Festival,\u201d she summed up.<\/p>\n
Reactions to her last-minute cancellation varied. Britain’s Eighties icon Boy George criticized her decision. He told a Twitter user who had criticized him for encouraging Del Rey to play that \u201cGemini\u2019s like @LanaDelRey don\u2019t normally respond well to being told what to do. We don\u2019t follow. We go forth with the message of love. She was wrong to cancel,\u201d adding that he wasn\u2019t unsympathetic to their cause.”<\/p>\n
However, he followed with: \u201cLet me know how @LanaDelRey not turning up to play in Israel made a real difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
A BDS statement thanked Del Rey for her \u201cprincipled decision to withdraw from Israel\u2019s Meteor Festival. You heeded the call by countless fans & groups who care deeply about justice…We urge all remaining artists to also respect the Palestinian picket line.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deputy Diplomacy Minister Michael Oren considered Lana Del Rey\u2019s cancellation as \u201ca turning point in the fight against the BDS.” <\/p>\n
Oren expressed regret. \u201cFrom now on, each artist will be able to condition his appearance in Israel with a parallel concert for the Palestinians, who will resist in advance and thus enjoy the power of veto over every performance in Israel,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is another victory for BDS and a defeat for Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Liat Turgerman, a representative for the festival said in a statement that the festival was hosting 130 international and local artists and \u201cthe number of those who have canceled is not significant or dramatic compared to those who will be performing. Despite the difficulties\u2026we are determined and excited enough to overcome them and begin, in a few days, a festival we have been working on for nearly a year.”<\/p>\n
Organizers also told Hadashot TV news that Del Rey had been the one to contact the festival expressing an interest in performing, only to suddenly cancel her gig at the last minute.<\/p>\n
Prior to her cancellation, she and Roger Waters exchanged words on Twitter \u2013 she defending her decision to play in Israel, while Waters lambasted her for it. In an open letter, he told her that to cross the BDS picket line, which is supported by Palestinian civil society, \u201cis a political act in support of the apartheid state that would deny them those basic human rights. Even if in your heart of hearts you believe yourself to be neutral.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no doubt the Israeli promoters are paying top dollar, they are well known for that, but is the price worth passing up your moment on the road to Damascus and abandoning your Palestinian brothers and sisters to their fate in their hour of need?\u201d Waters wrote.<\/p>\n
She responded by telling Waters that she \u201ctotally understands what you\u2019re saying and this is my action,\u201d referring at the time, to her choice to still play in Israel.<\/p>\n
In December, New Zealandic pop singer Lorde gave in to pressure from BDS activists and canceled a scheduled concert in Israel, organized by the same production company that is putting on the Meteor Festival.<\/p>\n