Dame Kiri asked to abandon Israel singing plans

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Photo / NZ Herald

Opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is being urged to abandon plans to sing in Israel by New Zealand supporters of the Palestinian cause.

Global Peace and Justice Auckland (GPJA) says it has written asking her to withdraw from her scheduled performance at the Israel Festival in late May.

GPJA spokesman John Minto said Dame Kiri should show support for an international campaign to boycott Israeli events in protest at the Israeli government's policies towards the Palestinians.

Mr Minto said the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign aims to end Israeli presence and building in the West Bank and at allowing the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes in Israel.

"By going to Israel in the face of a call by Palestinians for a comprehensive boycott Kiri Te Kanawa would be turning her back on the Palestinian struggle while giving comfort to Israeli apartheid and its brutal military occupation of Palestinian land," Mr Minto said.

Mr Minto said he sent a letter requesting this at the end of February but he has yet to receive a response.

Dame Kiri is touring the United States and a spokesman for her said she could not be contacted today to determine if she wanted to comment.

GPJA protested the presence of Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer at the ASB Classic in Auckland in 2009 and 2010.

- NZPA