My Bibi's got a secret: Anger as Madonna 'performing in Tel Aviv's Eurovision'

Pro-Palestinian activist groups are calling on singer Madonna to cancel her concert in Israel after it was revealed that she will be playing two songs in the Eurovision song contest in Tel Aviv this summer.

The 60 year old pop sensation singer will reportedly sing two songs during the song contest, taking place on 18 May -- a classic song and a new track - in Tel Aviv, sparking outrage among Palestinian activists who want international artists to boycott Israel over its human rights record.

Activist groups Jewish Voice for Peace and Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PCABI) started an online petition urging the Papa Don’t Preach singer to cancel her concert.

“There's no neutrality in situations of injustice. Please stand with us on the right side of history to create a better world for all and cancel your performance at Eurovision”, the groups said in a joint statement.

“If you believe in equality and dignity for all, you will choose not to lend your star-power to the far-right Israeli government that is using Eurovision to cover up their continued human rights abuses. Your performance at Eurovision will bring harm to the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality”, they added.

An online campaign with the hashtag #MadonnaDontGo has been launched.

In a separate statement, PCABI described performances in Eurovision as being exploitative by Israel’s “fanatic, far-right government”.

“The call from Palestinian artists to boycott Eurovision hosted by Israel is supported by more than 100,000 people signing petitions, over 100 LGBTQIA groups, more than 20 Israeli artists, and hundreds of prominent international artists including the 1994 Eurovision winner.

“Israel’s fanatic, far-right government is cynically exploiting your performance, and those of the contestants, to mask its deepening oppression of Palestinians.”

Nonviolent boycott

Activists across the world have urged artists and viewers to boycott this year’s Eurovision set in Israel.

In February, Boycott Divestment Sanctions activists in London released a song dubbed 'Cultural Boycott' to raise awareness for boycotting Eurovision 2019.

“Boycott divest and sanction till Palestine is free. The only course of action to show our solidarity” the song said.

The nonviolent BDS movement says it is inspired by the campaign that targeted South Africa's apartheid regime and is seeking an end to Israel's brutal occupation of the West Bank.

Israel sees BDS as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-Semitism – a claim activists firmly deny, calling it an attempt to discredit them.

But the movement, which adheres to peaceful resistance, aims to pressure Israel to adhere to international law and human rights by lobbying various states, institutions and personas to understand its oppression of Palestinians and take action as a result.

BDS operates by pressuring corporations, artists and academic institutions to sever ties with Israel with supporters saying activities are aimed at promoting a Palestinian statehood.

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