Israel’s ambassador to New Zealand has invited pop singer Lorde to a personal meeting after the 21-year old this week cancelled a scheduled concert in Tel Aviv. 
Lorde’s performance in Israel could have contributed to the “spirit of hope and peace in the Middle East,” Gerberg said. “Music is a wonderful language of tolerance and friendship, which brings people together,” he added.Jerusalem Post journalist Amy Spiro on Monday published a statement by Lorde saying that she had decided to cancel the show.  
“I pride myself on being an informed young citizen, and I had done a lot of reading and sought a lot of opinions before deciding to book a show in Tel Aviv, but I’m not too proud to admit I didn’t make the right call on this one,” the Royals singer said. The cancellation was prompted after Jewish New Zealander Justine Sachs and Palestinian New Zealander Nadia Abu-Shanab wrote to the singer saying “playing in Tel Aviv will be seen as giving support to the policies of the Israeli government, even if you make no comment on the political situation.”
Artists who have participated in the cultural boycott of Israel through the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement include Brian Eno and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, writers Arundhati Roy and Eduardo Galeano and film-maker Ken Loach. Lorde has not yet commented publicly.




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