Spain – Pressure From BDS Forces Cancellation Of Performance By Jewish Artist Matisyahu At Peace Festival

    19

    FILE  -US reggae and alternative rock musician Matisyahu performs on stage during the Heineken Open'er Festival in Gdynia, Poland, 04 July 2013.  EPASpain – Amid growing pressure from the Valencia chapter of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS), organizers for the annual reggae music festival Rototom Sunsplash in Benicassim cancelled on Saturday a scheduled performance by Jewish superstar Matisyahu.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    ELPAIS.com (http://bit.ly/1Kp4Qel) reports that BDS mounted an aggressive campaign during the week leading up to Matisyahu’s appearance, most notably on the singer’s Facebook page where he was repeatedly accused of being a “Zionist” and who, through his continued support for Israel, supports “apartheid and ethnic cleansing” against the people of Palestine.

    In a Saturday statement, Rototom director, Filippo Giunta, explained that organizers worked tirelessly to resolve the situation, but that their efforts fell short after Miatisyahu failed respond to a request by organizers on Thursday that he appear in a video stating that he believes Palestine is entitled to its own state.

    Giunta explained that because this year’s theme of the 22nd version of Rototom is “Peace Revolution,” organizers simply could not risk the “unwarranted virulence” which has resulted from the “attacks received in recent days.”

    Reps for BDS, which forced the cancellation of five other of the festival’s 250 artists and speakers, called Matisyahu a “lover of Israel” and charged the singer with having led “pro-Zionist festivals” that promoted that “Palestine doesn’t exist.”

    BDS was also highly critical of Rototom for inviting Matisyahu.

    In a Facebook response attempting to clarify the organization’s stance, Giunta cited the group’s storied history in promoting peace through dialogue, and thus, its invitation to Matisyahu and other artists.

    “Support for Israel does not mean support for its policy of aggression towards the people of Palestine,” Giunta said. “and because this year’s theme is ‘Peace Revolution,’ we thought it timely that we invite the singer. We did not want to exclude someone for this reason.”


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    19 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    8 years ago

    any Jew visiting Spain should Boycott Divest from Spain immediately

    bennyt
    bennyt
    8 years ago

    Serves him right for abandoning the Torah!

    Leo613
    Leo613
    8 years ago

    Although I am no fan of Matisyahu, the organisers of the Reggae Concert are extremely spineless.

    I cannot believe this!!!

    How dare they cancel an artist because of his ALLEGED pro Zionist views. The chutzpah of the BDS and the Organisers are totally unbelievable!!

    Did the BDS Gestapo, put sensors in Matisyahu’s brain to know what he thinking??

    How pathetic!

    I have come to the conclusion, that in today’s world, everything goes. No judgments on anyone, except for us Yidden.

    Could you imagine if there was an issue in Africa and an African American was banned due to his alleged pro African views.

    The world would spin upside down.
    Everybody would be breathless with their righteous indignation. Sharpton would be on every news channel. Massive Counter Protest would be planned. And guess what, for the first time in his life, Sharpton would be correct.

    This behaviour cannot be tolerated!!

    But Matisyahu is Jewish. And, leyder leyder Jewish blood is cheap even in 2015.

    What a mussar to us. Matisyahu no longer has a beard. He has No peyios. But to the farshtunkene BDS, Matisyahu is rotten Jew because he doesn’t march in lock-step with their perversion.

    Shame on them. And shame on us for allowing this.

    Where is our counter demonstration?

    8 years ago

    He was scheduled to perform 8:45 PM Saturday evening, an hour before havdalah.
    (in Madrid havdalah is 9:52).
    Are we supposed to be upset that he was cancelled if he is Jewish?

    Mark Levin
    Mark Levin
    8 years ago

    Nebach. Look at him now.
    I’ll never forget when he sang at the HASC concert and an 11 year old in front of me asked his father when the Knicks were coming out.

    ayoyo
    ayoyo
    8 years ago

    Why do we have to read this every day without a strong rebuttal. Look at the whole moslem world today. There isn’t a country that’s not involved in a blood war between factions (except morocco and jordan) ,civilians by the thousands are being murdered and displaced . bombs explode every day killing many with one blast Where is the world outcry? B.D.S.?FOR WHAT? among all of the countries the palestinian people are the luckiest in the world.that israel is protecting them Take the BDS organization to a court , have it shut down Anti Semitism is a crime in many countries , why aren’t they being shut down.

    OscarMadison
    OscarMadison
    8 years ago

    Notice the Haredi extremists condemning Matisyahu and not BDS. We know whose side they’re really on.

    lazerx
    lazerx
    8 years ago

    the nations of the world did nothing to help Jews during WWII and many of them had anti-Jewish feeling with in them for centuries, so what did you expect from them? Love of Jews? Support of Jews?

    Ha, they are happy to stand with the Arabs to stick it to the Jews in order to get Arab oil…

    8 years ago

    Forget BDS, ultimately they won’t succeed. But Matisyahu – I remember him as a frum man bringing his boys to shul. He is one big actor, as well as a lousy singer. He fooled many people, using Chabad Chassidus as his gimmick, then he moved onto Karlin-Stolin. Was he ever truly, in his neshama, frum? Or was it all an act to self-promote. Sorry, but I think it was the latter. Meanwhile – anyone know about his nice wife and sons? What happened to them?

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    8 years ago

    Boycott Spain!! Hit them in the pocket!! That language they understand!!

    bsocheami
    bsocheami
    8 years ago

    The goyim are reminding him that he is Jewish. Matisyahu, you can run, but you can’t hide

    Anominous
    Anominous
    8 years ago

    Ironic. He leaves Judaism and has it thrown back to his face. I hope he wakes up and realizes that Hashem exists and that he has to live as a Jew. This is also musssar for all of us. We all have our weaknesses and think it will be alright. Not necessarily true, as Hashem rewards and punishes for everything. Unless you do teshuva.

    albroker
    albroker
    8 years ago

    just like in the Soviet union all non-comfortists are punished.

    Secular
    Secular
    8 years ago

    Eminem?

    hashomer
    hashomer
    8 years ago

    BDS is a wakeup call to all Jews, that our enemies are not only against Israel but again Judaism and Jews in any form. It’s a global boycott, just like in 1933. And BDS is supported by many leftist Jews, and by too many frum as seen by their odious comments here. You’d think by now every Yid would realize we’re in the same life raft and have to help each orher, but that’s not the case, just like in 70 and 1939.