Boy George: ‘I’ve had threats’ over planned concert in Israel

British singer Boy George tells Channel 12 that he has faced threats, professional isolation, and accusations of fascism over his support for Israel.

However, he insists he will perform in the country at his scheduled November 4 concert despite the backlash.

“I’ve had threats, and I’ve had people defacing my pictures and concert posters,” George says in an interview aired on television. “For me personally, none of those people [attacking me] look like peace.”

Boy George describes long-time peers who abandoned him for his support of Israel.

“Some of these people don’t care about anything,” he says. Their political views are [fashion brand] Dolce & Gabbana. Suddenly, to have a position on something that they don’t care about makes them so angry.”

He insists that support for Israel did not mean indifference toward Palestinians, emphasizing that Jewish people, like everyone else, want to live, celebrate, and feel safe.

“I’ve never ever said I don’t care about Palestine,” he says. [But] I know Jewish people. I know they want to live.”

Finding musicians willing to join him has proved challenging, he says.

“We’re trying to find a band right now,” he concedes. “It’s a bit problematic. We are trying to find people who are brave enough to come.”

He criticizes what he sees as a culture of silence among younger musicians and promoters who fear career repercussions for expressing political opinions.

“They live in a world with young people, and… it’s like vampire blood,” he says. They need that blood to survive, so they can’t say what they think.”

Tickets to the concert at Tel Aviv’s Menora Mivtachim Arena are sold out, the report says.