Spanish concert flips: Matisyahu reinvited after BDS ax

Following a barrage of criticism, organizers of an international reggae festival in Spain backtracked on Wednesday and apologized for cancelling a concert by Jewish-American singer Matisyahu because he had declined to state his position regarding a Palestinian state.

The Rototom Sunsplash festival said in a statement that it publicly apologized for canceling the concert and invites Matisyahu to play as originally planned this weekend.

It said it recognized its mistake, adding that it had been the fruit of pressure by a local branch of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS), which campaigned against Matisyahu’s participation.

The Spanish government had joined major Jewish organizations and others in condemning the festival’s original decision to disinvite Matisyahu, a baal-tshuvah Chassidic raeggae star turned clean-shaven rocker.

Spain’s Foreign Ministry said the government understood the Jewish communities’ unease, adding that Spain opposed boycott campaigns against Israel. It reiterated its support for a Palestinian state through negotiations.

Festival organizers originally said that they canceled the Aug. 22 concert because Matisyahu refused to state his position regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the issue of a Palestinian state. He was the only artist asked to do so. They had said that the festival always supported the Palestinian rights and denied the decision was a result of a pro-Palestinian group’s campaign.

But in its statement on Wednesday, Rototom Sunsplash said it recognized that pressure tactics by the BDS advocates had prevented it from seeing the situation clearly.

It said the festival rejects anti-Semitism and respects the Jewish community.

Matisyahu is an American with no exceptional connection to Israel

“I support peace and compassion for all people. My music speaks for itself, and I do not insert politics into my music,” he said on his Facebook page after his performance was canceled. “Music has the power to transcend the intellect, ideas, and politics, and it can unite people in the process.

“The festival kept insisting that I clarify my personal views — which felt like clear pressure to agree with the BDS political agenda. Honestly it was appalling and offensive, that as the one publicly Jewish-American artist scheduled for the festival they were trying to coerce me into political statements.”

ADL National Director Jonathan A. Greenblatt said, “This appears to be a clear case of anti-Semitic discrimination.”

World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder said “this is a clear instance of anti-Semitism, and nothing else.”

Other news sources contributed to this report.