2023-08-02 22:38:52
Accused of “normalizing” with Israel, she claims to have been the subject of “a major disinformation campaign”
A Tunisian singer, Emel Mathlouthi, announced Wednesday the cancellation of a concert she was to give in her country, at the Hammamet festival, claiming to have been accused of “normalization” with Israel following a series of concerts in the Palestinian Territories.
In July, Emel Mathlouthi gave concerts in the eastern part of Jerusalem, as well as in Ramallah, in the West Bank. On the other hand, she had not given a concert in Israel. The 41-year-old singer rose to fame during the Tunisian revolution in 2011, with her song “Kelmti Horra” which she performed at the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize concert, awarded to the Tunisian national dialogue quartet.
She was to perform next week at the Hammamet International Festival. But spectators who had already purchased their tickets were informed that the concert was cancelled. “I am sorry to announce that our long-awaited concert in Hammamet has been canceled without official reason,” the singer said on Instagram. “We believe our last tour of beautiful Palestine caused unwarranted controversy accusing me of normalization.” “We would like to emphasize that these concerts were organized by Palestinians for a Palestinian audience. They do not contravene the guidelines” of the international pro-Palestinian movement BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) and the Palestinian Campaign for Boycott Academics and Culture of Israel (PACBI). The singer claimed to have been the subject of “a major disinformation campaign”.
From the Twitter acount of BDSBoycott Israel, BDS
She assured that she did not act in violation of BDS directives by giving concerts in the Palestinian Territories, and in front of overwhelmingly Palestinian audiences. BDS on Wednesday lent its support to the singer, saying it “distinguishes between artists who entertain the oppressors and those who stand with the oppressed.”
AFPA Tunisian flag.
Emel Mathlouthi sang the Palestinian ballad “Wein a Ramallah” at the end of the performance and waved a Palestinian flag in Ramallah. “This is clearly a personal attack on me,” she said. “Everyone has been very supportive of me here because Palestinians don’t want to be isolated, they want to see artists like me who come from other Arab countries and who speak Arabic,” added the singer, who had entered Israel. via Ben Gurion Airport in Tel-Aviv with an American passport.
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