BDS fail: Alicia Keys and Idan Raichel together in Tel Aviv

It began shortly after pop super star Alicia Keys decided to play a July 4 gig in Tel Aviv.  The BDS'ers spared no effort in their attempt to pressure the 14 time Grammy award winning singer to cancel the performance. In addition to the usual attempts to hijack her twitter feed and Facebook page, the BDS'ers solicited a letter from Alice Walker, who urged Alicia not to put her soul in danger by playing in Israel.  Even after Alicia Keys arrived in Israel, the onslaught continued,  with anti-Israel activist and cultural boycott advocate Tali Shapiro urging people to continue hounding Ms. Keys.

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It was to no avail.

On July 4th, Alicia Keys and her special guest Idan Raichel joined together to use their music to "unify audiences in peace and love" at Alicia Keys' long-awaited, sold out concert in Israel. 



After Alicia Keys addressed the sold out crowd in Hebrew, "Ma Kore Tel Aviv", (What's up, Tel Aviv?") Shapiro's bitterness slipped out,  calling the ancient language of the Jewish people a "colonial language"

It was a massive BDS fail for those seeking to culturally isolate Israel.

From the Jerusalem Post:

Alicia Keys set the Tel Aviv on fire Thursday night with her powerful, soulful voice and a message of peace and love, BDS movement be damned....

Keys stood out most on her own, whether it was belting out "Girl on Fire," the song that gave her tour its name, or crooning her love song to her home town, "Empire State of Mind."

Keys ended the song with her smash-hit New York anthem, taking the state in a slinky, sparkling red gown and raising the whole audience.

"This song is about hopes and dreams," she said. "We all have the same hopes and dreams. It doesn't matter where you come from. Don't let anyone hold us back or push us down."

 Press release from the Creative Community for Peace: Alicia Keys plays for Peace in Israel

(Los Angeles -- July 4, 2013) -- The Creative Community for Peace (“CCFP”), an organization of leading executives from within the entertainment industry, congratulates Alicia Keys on the success of her first concert in Israel and the fulfillment of her goal to “unify her audiences in peace and love”. We are grateful that Alicia saw beyond the baseless accusations of apartheid and the rhetoric of the cultural Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (“BDS”) movement and did not allow their noise to drown out the melodies of freedom and the voices of change.

For several years, the cultural BDS movement has been pressuring artists from all over the world to cancel their performances in Israel with tactics that frequently cross the line and border on harassment. These boycott activists hijack the social media platforms of artists and inundate them and their representatives with petitions, phone calls, letters and thousands of Facebook posts, Tweets, and emails, often threatening the artist's reputation and professional career. At times they even violate copyright laws and will use an artist's work for their own self-gain, forcing the artist to take legal action to protect his or her work, as Alicia Keys had to do with an unauthorized video utilizing her song, “Girl on Fire.” But above all, the BDS movement works against reconciliation, distorts the dialogue of those who seek peace, and provokes discord among the fans of these iconic artists.

The Creative Community for Peace works within the entertainment industry to promote a positive environment for cultural exchange and seeks to provide balance to the misinformation that artists may see about Israel in social media. It believes that singling out Israel for a cultural boycott is hypocritical when human rights abuses go unchecked in various other countries in the Middle East. CCFP applauds Alicia Keys and the hundreds of other artists who, despite the concerted efforts of these misinformed groups, perform and visit Israel, cherishing the freedom of expression that exists there and coming away with an incredible experience.

Alicia Keys received an open letter from novelist and BDS supporter, Alice Walker, who said that by performing in Israel, Alicia would be putting herself in “soul danger”. In response to Alice Walker’s open letter, 17 members of CCFP’s advisory board, comprised of top level executives in the entertainment industry, signed their own open letter , refuting Walker’s false allegations of apartheid and congratulating Alicia Keys for looking beyond the rhetoric. Like Alicia, CCFP believes music is a universal language that should be shared and can help build bridges and promote understanding.

In addition to the open letter, the CCFP “Anti-Boycott Petition”  signed by over 18,000 people from every corner of the world, was sent to Alicia to show her that she has thousands of fans who support and believe in her message of peace and love.

Thank you Alicia Keys for sharing the gift of your music with the people of the state of Israel- Arab, Muslim, Christian and Jew alike. Your voice and your message have touched the hearts of thousands of people in a region wholeheartedly hoping for peace. We are sure that they will hope to see you again soon!

For several years, the cultural BDS movement has been pressuring artists from all over the world to cancel their performances in Israel with tactics that frequently cross the line and border on harassment. These boycott activists hijack the social media platforms of artists and inundate them and their representatives with petitions, phone calls, letters and thousands of Facebook posts, Tweets, and emails, often threatening the artist's reputation and professional career. At times they even violate copyright laws and will use an artist's work for their own self-gain, forcing the artist to take legal action to protect his or her work, as Alicia Keys had to do with an unauthorized video utilizing her song, “Girl on Fire.” But above all, the BDS movement works against reconciliation, distorts the dialogue of those who seek peace, and provokes discord among the fans of these iconic artists.

The Creative Community for Peace works within the entertainment industry to promote a positive environment for cultural exchange and seeks to provide balance to the misinformation that artists may see about Israel in social media. It believes that singling out Israel for a cultural boycott is hypocritical when human rights abuses go unchecked in various other countries in the Middle East. CCFP applauds Alicia Keys and the hundreds of other artists who, despite the concerted efforts of these misinformed groups, perform and visit Israel, cherishing the freedom of expression that exists there and coming away with an incredible experience.

Alicia Keys received an open letter from novelist and BDS supporter, Alice Walker, who said that by performing in Israel, Alicia would be putting herself in “soul danger”. In response to Alice Walker’s open letter, 17 members of CCFP’s advisory board, comprised of top level executives in the entertainment industry, signed their own open letter , refuting Walker’s false allegations of apartheid and congratulating Alicia Keys for looking beyond the rhetoric. Like Alicia, CCFP believes music is a universal language that should be shared and can help build bridges and promote understanding.

In addition to the open letter, the CCFP “Anti-Boycott Petition”  signed by over 18,000 people from every corner of the world, was sent to Alicia to show her that she has thousands of fans who support and believe in her message of peace and love.
Thank you Alicia Keys for sharing the gift of your music with the people of the state of Israel- Arab, Muslim, Christian and Jew alike. Your voice and your message have touched the hearts of thousands of people in a region wholeheartedly hoping for peace. We are sure that they will hope to see you again soon!

Thank you, Alicia Keys for standing strong against the BDS bullies. Thank you for standing up for truth. Thank for for respecting standing up for cultural freedom, and for resisting the efforts of those who seek to destroy the ancient homeland of the Jewish people. And thank you for honoring your fans and your music with an amazing performance.