Israeli fans of Lauryn Hill were disappointed to discover that the singer has cancelled her upcoming gig in Israel. A social media campaign began, asking Hill to ‘boycott’ the gig over Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
“When deciding to play the region, my intention was to perform in both Tel Aviv and Ramallah,” she said. “Setting up a performance in the Palestinian Territory, at the same time as our show in Israel, proved to be a challenge.”
When it was deemed almost logistically impossible to do a concert in Israel and one in Palestinian territory, she decided to cancel it all together. Hill released this statement explaining her decision:
“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.”
In conclude her statement, Hill said she hopes for “healing, equanimity, and the openness necessary for lasting resolution and reconciliation come to this region and its people.”
She’s not the first artist to refuse to perform in Israel for this reason. Others who have done this include Elvis Costello, Pink Floyd and Stevie Wonder.