Cat Power joins Israel boycott

United States' singer/songwriter Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) was encouraged by boycott activists to cancel her gig in Tel Aviv, scheduled for February 12. It looks like the pressure worked.

On February 9, Cat Power announced her show had been cancelled, and tweeted: “Music is healing and it is not humane if all cannot have the choice, the right, to attend.”

Her announcement came after she sent out a few tweets asking her fans to “find a show in Ramallah … for the people of Palestine”.

However, it is against the Palestinian-led BDS call to support an artist seeking to mitigate the apartheid policy by “balancing” their performance in Tel Aviv with a performance in the occupied West Bank.

Regardless of her attempt to find a venue, Cat Power ended up cancelling her gig in Tel Aviv anyway. Cat Power joins a growing list of artists, musicians and performers who have cancelled their appearances for audiences in Israel, and should be commended for her action.

[Reprinted from Electronic Intifada..]

From GLW issue 910