Arab News | Andrea Bocelli faces Jordan gig boycott calls over Israel ties

Amman: Pro-Palestinian groups called on Wednesday for a boycott of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s concert next month in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra over his public support of Israel.

Bocelli, who has been blind since age 12, performed in 2022 at a stadium in Tel Aviv before an audience that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the tenor ignoring pro-Palestinian activists’ longstanding calls for a boycott of Israel.

Bocelli, 68, also sang in Los Angeles at a fundraiser for a group supporting the Israeli military in 2010. In recent years, Bocelli has also been a rare internationally known musician to perform for US President Donald Trump.

“We call on you to boycott Andrea Bocelli’s concert because of his long-standing public support for the Israeli enemy… Do not buy tickets! Demand… the cancelation of the concert,” said the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement in Jordan, one of the joint signatories.

“It is unacceptable for Petra — one of the most iconic sites in Jordan and the Arab world — to become a platform for someone who has raised funds for the occupation army,” BDS Jordan added.

The November 27 concert is part of Bocelli’s “Romanza” world tour celebrating his 30-year career.

Souha Bawab, the executive director of the association organizing the concert, said it was a chance to “showcase Jordan to the world,” as quoted by corporate news site Travel News Group.

She added that the concert would help to “reinforce its status as a destination that combines heritage and cultural experiences.”

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the ancient city of Petra is a top destination for foreign tourists in Jordan, and is renowned for its monumental temples carved into rose-colored rock.