Washington: Pop singer Madonna on Tuesday said that she is in full mood to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest final in Tel Aviv, Israel, despite calls by activists for her to boycott the event.
The singer in a statement given to CNN clarified that “I’ll never stop playing music to suit someone’s political agenda nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights wherever in the world they may be.”
The boycott comes after 4 people in Israel and more than 20 people in Gaza got killed in a two-day fight before mediators were able to restore a ceasefire. The practice sessions for the show were still on.
The event which is scheduled for Saturday and welcomes singers and bands from several countries competing against one another is expected to witness an audience of nearly 200 million tuning into the show.
Many opponents of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories demanded that the ‘Like A Prayer’ singer should re-think about her commitment.
“My heart breaks every time I hear about the innocent lives that are lost in this region and the violence that is so often perpetuated to suit the political goals of people who benefit from this ancient conflict,” Madonna’s statement.
It added, “I hope and pray that we will soon break free from this terrible cycle of destruction and create a new path towards peace.”
The European Broadcast Union, which is overlooking the responsibilities of the event, have yet not arrived at any conclusion over Madonna’s performance, a Eurovision spokesperson told CNN.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]