The backlash begins: Lorde cops criticism for cancelling Israel show

New Zealand singer Lorde is copping criticism for cancelling her concert in Israel.

Israel's Minister of Culture is urging Lorde to rethink her decision.
Source: 1 NEWS

On Christmas Day Lorde cancelled a concert scheduled for Tel Aviv's 15,000-seat Convention Centre on June 5 after criticism from activists in the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement.

Lorde said in a statement it was the right decision to cancel the show, Variety reported.

Tel Aviv will have to wait as tensions flare in the Middle East.
Source: 1 NEWS

Her decision also came after an open letter was written by two New Zealand fans on website The Spinoff. They argued the concert would show support for Israel's occupation of Palestine.

Actress Roseanne Barr has now taken to Twitter to slam Lorde.

"Boycott this bigot: Lorde caves to BDS pressure, cancels Israel concert," Barr tweeted.

That came after Juliet Moses, the spokeswoman for the Jewish Council of New Zealand, said that in succumbing to pressure to call off the concert Lorde had made a political statement.

"By bowing to the bullies, she joins the ranks of Roger Waters, Lauryn Hill, Elvis Costello and Annie Lennox.

"She parts company with Sia, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Gaga, Kygo, Elton John, Chainsmokers, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Morrissey, Queen, Kanye West, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, Radiohead, Nick Cave, Guns N' Roses and Justin Bieber, to name just some of those who have performed in Israel in the last few years despite threats and calls not to," she said.

Ms Moses said Lorde would perform in Russia on her Melodrama World Tour, and despite that country's human rights abuses no one called on her to cancel that show or suggested she was a Putin supporter.

"Likewise, she is not accused of complicity with Trump and his policies when she performs in the United States."

Variety also reported Israeli culture minister Miri Regev wrote: "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."

The Zionist Federation of New Zealand said it was disappointed Lorde had caved into pressure from "those who wish to see the destruction of Israel".

"By singling out Israel amongst other nations whose human rights abuses make any that Israel supposedly commit seem a drop in the ocean, shows the double standards and discrimination towards the Jewish state of those in the BDS movement," the organisation said in a statement on Tuesday.

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