After Pop Star Cancels Show for Israel Boycott, Ringo Starr Takes Matters into His Own Hands
Just a week after singer Lorde canceled her planned concert in Tel Aviv, former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr announced he will be performing in Israel.
The announcement was made on Starr’s website, stating that his All Starr Band had added new tour dates for their travels through Europe and Israel.
The 13th iteration band includes fellow rock legends Steve Lukather of Toto, Greg Rollie of Journey and Graham Gouldman of 10cc, according to Breitbart, and are booked for the Menorah Mivtahim Arena in Tel Aviv.
“Starr is going ahead with his visit, where others have feared to tread,” reports Breitbart Jerusalem. “Notably Lorde and Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters, who remains one of the most vocal anti-Israel celebrities in entertainment.”
The 21-year-old singer was scheduled to perform in the summer of 2018 in Tel Aviv, but received immense pressure from hard-left Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which had called for boycotts of Israel.
“I’ve received an overwhelming number of messages and letters and have had a lot of discussions with people holding many views,” Lorde said in response to the call for her to step down. “And I think the right decision at this time is to cancel the show.”
However, the cancelation of the famous “Royals” singer was met with backlash on both social media and in other portions of the entertainment industry.
Meanwhile, social media users have highlighted the hypocrisy, as Lorde — who canceled her Israel concert on the basis of human rights reasons — will continue her concerts in other locations such as Russia.
Yet, other celebrities — like Starr — have gone ahead with concerts in the country during such controversial times, including those such as Lady Gaga, Radiohead, Rihanna and even Sir Paul McCartney — the latter having been threatened back in 2008 if he performed for his audience of 400,000 in Tel Aviv.
“If he values his life Mr. McCartney must not come to Israel,” militant Islamic activist Omar Bakri Muhammad said in reference to McCartney. “He will not be safe there. The sacrifice operatives will be waiting for him.”
Radiohead singer Thom Yorke has even been outspoken about the disdain of other celebrities towards Israel. As reported by The Guardian, Yorke fired back at Waters and other BDS activists for pressuring the band to cancel their concert scheduled concert in the Jewish state.
“It’s deeply disrespectful to assume that we’re either being misinformed or that we’re so retarded we can’t make these decisions ourselves,” Yorke told Rolling Stone.
“I thought it was patronizing in the extreme,” he added. “It’s offensive and I just can’t understand why going to play a rock show or going to lecture at a university (is a problem to them).”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
