Drop Dua Lipa songs from Israeli radio, petition demands
'It is not fitting that a radio station affiliated with the IDF continue to broadcast her songs'
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF62nd Grammy Awards – Arrivals – Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 26, 2020 – Dua Lipa(photo credit: REUTERS/MIKE BLAKE)
A petition is calling for songs by British pop star Dua Lipa to be banned on Army Radio and Galgalatz, after the singer shared on her Instagram account an anti-Israel post claiming IDF soldiers shoot children, among other anti-Israel claims.Over 3,000 people had signed the petition as of Wednesday morning.The Im Tirzu organization contacted Culture Minister Chili Tropper and Defense Minister Benny Gantz. “In light of the incitement against IDF soldiers, the antisemitism, the blood libel, conspiracy theories and the blatant lies in the post that the singer shared, it is not fitting that a radio station affiliated with the IDF continue to broadcast her songs,” wrote Im Tirzu in a letter to the two ministers.“It is inconceivable that a military radio station will continue to promote someone who goes out against IDF soldiers,” said Dov Trachtman, digital media manager of Im Tirzu. “It’s time that the defense minister and culture minister put an end to this absurd theater in which antisemites like this singer continue to be broadcast on military radio waves.”The post shared by Dua Lipa read: “While everybody’s in the mood to talk about human rights, this is what happens EVERYDAY in Palestine, paid for by our taxpayer dollars.”“The big bad tough guys of the #IDF thoroughly enjoy beating and shooting children,” the post continued. “They even have shirts that depict a pregnant Palestinian woman with a sniper scope on her stomach that reads ‘1 shot two kills.’“But don’t worry,” the post continued. “They’re all terrorist so it’s all good. We totally understand.“When people say #freepalestine, it doesn’t mean that scary Muslims will run into Tel Aviv and ruin the fun dance parties on the beach. Rather, it’s a simple request for sovereignty and freedom.”To this, Vin Arfuso, a friend of Dua Lipa and the author of the post she shared, added several pictures depicting IDF soldiers next to Palestinian teens, also saying he’s working on a documentary that would be even more shocking.Lipa released her self-titled debut album in 2017 and since then has won two Grammy Awards, one for Best New Artist, and three Brit AwardsMaariv Online contributed to this report.
