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“You were lied to. You became another one in a series of people being used by Palestinian terrorist organizations without knowing the facts,” Lapid wrote Lana Del Rey.
By: United with Israel Staff
Senior Israeli lawmaker Yair Lapid dispatched a missive to singer Lana Del Rey in which he panned her decision to cancel a concert in Israel, warning her that she was lied to and that she is yet another performer “being used by Palestinian terrorist organizations.”
Del Rey was scheduled to perform this week at the Meteor Festival, a three-day Woodstock-like party at kibbutz Lehavot Habashan in northern Israel. Several other performers canceled their concerts following Del Ray’s announcement.
“You’re sitting in New York after cancelling your performance in Israel because of pressure from Roger Waters and other vocal BDS activists. It’s a shame, because you were lied to. You became another one in a series of people being used by Palestinian terrorist organizations without knowing the facts,” Lapid wrote in a letter he sent her Monday.
Noting she had free time after the concert cancellation, Lapid said that “maybe you should use it to learn about what’s really happening here in Israel.”
He sent her a long list of facts that set the historical record straight and debunked claims by anti-Israel organizations that it is racist and Apartheid state, claims that led her to heed their call and cancel her performance in the Jewish state.
He noted that Israel was founded as a shelter for Jews from across the world after hundreds of years of persecution and the murder of six million during the Holocaust, and since the day it was founded, Israel has offered peace to its neighbors “time and again.”
While most of Israel’s offers were declined, it made two peace treaties, with Jordan and with Egypt, and both times proved its willingness to pay a heavy price for peace.
With regard to the Palestinians, twice, in the 2000 and 2008, Israel offered the Palestinians the opportunity to build a country of their own on over 90 percent of the land. Both times the Palestinians said no.
In 2005, Israel left Gaza with no demands. Instead of using the opportunity to build a better life for themselves, the Palestinians used Gaza as a launching pad to fire over 15,000 rockets and mortars at Israel.
‘Did Roger Waters Tell You That?’
Israel is the only country in the Middle East that genuinely protects the rights of women and the LGBT community, while in Hamas ruled Gaza they are hanged.
“Did Roger Waters tell you that? Maybe it’s worth asking him?” Lapid wrote.
In Israel, Arabs serve as Supreme Court Justices, senior military officers, senior police officers, senior government officials and as doctors and professors. There are no positions that aren’t open to them in Israel.
“In Israel you can sing what you want, say what you want and dress how you want. Just across the border, women don’t even have the freedom to run a marathon or ride a motorbike,” Lapid noted
Israel is the start-up nation but doesn’t keep its knowledge to itself. Rather, it shares it with others to improve the world. Likewise, Israel’s hospitals provide treatment to all, including Palestinians and refugees from the brutal civil war in Syria.
“Lana, isn’t it a shame to let the lies of others decide for you? You gave up on the opportunity to see the reality for yourself and to use music as a tool to connect and spread love,” Lapid wrote.
“Israel is a country under threat. Although we are strong and can protect our citizens from our enemies, the boycott movement spreads an incomprehensible amount of lies to disparage Israel in the world,” Lapid charged. “They are trying to isolate us, to turn Israel into an illegitimate state. They don’t seek peace, and despite what they might have told you, they don’t support a two state solution.”
“Their aim is the destruction of the State of Israel. The naivete of people like you amuses them. They are using you to harm Israel but do their best to hide behind the language of peace and love. The only way to fight their lies is to learn the truth” he concluded.
Del Rey has yet to acknowledge or respond to the letter.
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