Scottish soccer fans call on Rod Stewart to cancel Israel show

Fans of Glasgow’s Celtic Football Club have called on fellow supporter Rod Stewart to cancel his upcoming performance in Israel out of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

In a petition on change.org the fans wrote:”Dear Rod! We are shocked at your recent decision to breach the international cultural boycott of Israel and appeal to you to reconsider your decision.”

As a life-long Celtic fan you must be well aware of the special affinity our fans have with the Palestinian people and their struggle for freedom,” the petition said.

The petition stated that supporters of the club are also supporters of the BDS boycott movement.

“As Celtic fans, they wrote, “we support the Palestinian-led BDS movement for freedom, justice and equality. Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity!”

Celtic supporters are known to be sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. In August they were fined for waving hundreds of Palestinian flags while cheering from the stands against Israel’s Hapoel Beersheba in a Champions League match in Glasgow.

Stewart announced last week that he will wrap up his 2017 world tour with a show in Tel Aviv.

The performance is scheduled for June 14, 2017, at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, and will be the final performance of Stewart’s “Hits” tour.

The rocker also recorded a special video message for his Israeli fans, promising “a splendid night of fantastic music.”

“This is Rod Stewart here and I shall be coming to Tel Aviv on June 14, playing at Ha-Yarkon Park,” he says in the clip uploaded to Facebook. “So don’t miss it, it’s going to be a splendid night of fantastic music where you’ll hear everything you want to hear. June 14, Tel Aviv. Don’t miss it.

Stewart, who recently turned 72, has played in Israel twice before, in 2010 and in 1983, at the height of his career.