Festival Apologizes, Re-invites Jewish Rapper
JERUSALEM, Israel -- WJC President Ron Lauder welcomed the apology and re-invite to American Jewish reggae star Matisyahu by the Rototom Sunsplash festival.
"This is a very significant and welcome decision, and we thank the organizers for realizing their mistake and for taking the necessary steps to welcome it," Lauder and Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain President Isaac Querub Caro said in a joint statement posted on the WJC website. "However, lessons must be learned from this affair."
Festival organizers cancelled Matisyahu's August 22 concert for refusing to endorse a Palestinian state or condemn Israel's military response to Hamas rocket fire in the Gaza Strip last summer.
"We respect the Jewish community and sincerely apologize for what happened," festival organizers said in a statement posted on the website, confessing they'd yielded to pressure from members of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
"Rototom Sunsplash would like to publicly apologize to Matisyahu for having cancelled his concert and invite him to perform at the festival next Saturday, August 22, as was initially programmed in the lineup," the statement read.
Querub said, "We need to stand together and work together in the fight against all forms of racism, anti-Semitism and hatred. This includes avoiding discriminating against people who may have a different opinion than oneself on certain issues. The Rototom Sunsplash should be about celebrating music and not about politics. I am glad that the festival organizers have realized that."
