Spanish festival backtracks, re-invites Jewish singer

The Spanish government has condemned a reggae festival’s decision to boot a Jewish American singer from the line-up after he declined to state his position on a Palestinian state.

“Rototom SunSplash would like to publicly apologise 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”, organisers said in a statement.

A local branch of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement had campaigned against the concert in the town of Benicassim, accusing Matisyahu of being anti-Palestinian.

A Spanish music festival has reversed a decision to cancel a concert by a Jewish-American singer after the ban sparked outrage and formal condemnation from the Spanish government.

A spokesperson for Matisyahu was not immediately available to disclose if the singer will now attend.

The Rototom Sunsplash reggae festival announced earlier this week the cancelation of an August 22 performance by the artist after he refused to write or videotape a message supporting a Palestinian state.

The World Jewish Congress suggested Spain should consider recuperating public funding for the festival, being held this week in eastern Spain.

In the letter sent Tuesday, the WJC said the decision’s “anti-Semitic overtones are not in Spain’s best interests”, adding that the Jewish community in Spain and worldwide were deeply troubled by the incident.

Matisyahu, whose real name is Matthew Miller, said on Facebook on Monday that politics played no part in his music and that it was “appalling and offensive that as the one…” However, this affair leaves us with a sour taste in our mouths. “It was yet another example of how anti-Jewish attitudes, dressed up as vicious and unfair criticism of Israel, are still widespread, and are especially prevalent in a number of far-left global political parties”, Lauder continued.

“Imposing a public declaration [from Matisyahu] puts into question the principles of non-discrimination on which all plural and diverse societies are based”, Spanish foreign ministry officials said in a statement Tuesday, adding that Rototom’s actions on behalf on the BDS movement were “anti-Semitic”.

It said the festival rejects anti-Semitism and respects the Jewish community. I support peace and compassion for all people.

In the statements, the organizers said the festival has always supported the Palestinian people’s rights and denied they had cowed to the pro-Palestinian group. The statement cited a “campaign of pressure, coercion and threats” against it that stoked fears the festival would be disrupted and “prevented the organization from reasoning clearly”.