Billie Eilish slammed for promoting album to Israeli fans
Pop star posts video saying ‘hi’ to fans in Israel, drawing ire from pro-Palestinian activists insisting Jewish state has no right to exist
Pop star Billie Eilish provoked a wave of angry criticism on social media after posting a short video online promoting her new album to Israeli fans.
“Hi Israel, this is Billie Eilish, and I’m so excited that my new album, ‘Happier Than Ever,’ is out now,” she said in a clip posted to social media, the blog Israellycool reported Sunday.
The video was one of several that Eilish posted to fans in different countries.
“Happier Than Ever,” the 19-year-old’s second album, was one of the most anticipated pop releases of the year.
Pro-Palestinian social media users appeared to criticize Eilish for recognizing Israel as a state.
Others used the opportunity to criticize Israeli policy toward the Palestinians.
@billieeilish its “occupied palestinian land” not israel
— ????????Ahmed Nour???????? (@yofavgoalkeeper) July 31, 2021
In June Eilish became the focus of so-called “cancel culture” after videos emerged from when she was 13 or 14 in which she appeared to mock Asian people and mouth a slur. She later issued an apology in a video posted to her Instagram account.
A Palestinian-led international boycott movement seeks to pressure Israel over its policies toward the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel has taken a hardline approach against it, passing a law barring foreign supporters of the movement from staying in Israel.
