Shakira cancels Israel performance in face of worldwide outcry

Nearly 15,000 members of the peace activist organization Jewish Voice for Peace joined in a worldwide protest to convince mega-entertainer Shakira to cancel a planned performance in Tel Aviv, Israel. The protest is intended to send a message to the Israeli people that turning their backs on justice and silence in the face of their military murders in Gaza will not be tolerated.

Shakira was born in Barranquilla, Colombia which has a large Arab Palestinian and Lebanese immigrant population. Her father is a Lebanese Arab immigrant.

Here is the announcement from Jewish Voice for Peace:

It’s just been confirmed that Shakira will not be performing in Israel anytime soon!

Media reports last week trumpeted a Tel Aviv concert as her first appearance in Israel. But after a massive global outcry, including by almost 15,000 JVP supporters, her concert promoter tweeted that no concert was on the cards.

THIS. IS. HUGE.

Shakira is sending a super-star powered message: she’s choosing freedom, for Palestinians and all people, over apartheid and occupation.

Let’s send Shakira a huge thank you, and share this news everywhere!

Add your name now to thank Shakira for standing up for Palestinian rights — and we’ll deliver it directly to her:

SHAKIRA: THANK YOU

This isn’t just celebrity gossip, it’s a real lever of power. When celebrities stay away, the Israeli public feels the pinch, and puts their politicians under pressure to fix it!

It couldn’t come at a more important time. Last night (in the US), the IDF bombed Gaza at least 30 times. 25 projectiles were fired back into Israel. And this morning the IDF intercepted a boat carrying medical supplies trying to break the naval blockade.

But in spite of those signs of war, nonviolent protests continued last Friday at the fence that walls Gaza off from the world. And we have to re-dedicate ourselves to our own nonviolent movement for justice alongside them.

The exact sequence of how the concert was called off is not clear, with her promoter tweeting: “the media has incorrectly reported that Shakira will be performing in Tel Aviv this summer.” But one thing IS clear: Shakira never has, nor has plans to, perform in Israel. That’s no coincidence for a global superstar who champions the rights of children.

One day, hopefully soon, Shakira will perform in a free and equal Tel Aviv. I truly believe that. And the next specific step to get there is to make sure as many people hear about this fantastic news as possible — and that Shakira and her team get the backup they need in the face of certain backlash.

Add your name now to thank Shakira for standing up for Palestinian rights:

Onward,

Granate

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rayhanania

Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

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