Israeli singer Noga Erez responded Thursday to the controversy over an interview she gave in which she praised the BDS movement against Israel.
"I do not support BDS. I never have," Erez wrote. "I love Israel and do not support any kind of boycott of my country and people, nor any expression of hatred. On the contrary, I disapprove of extremism of any kind."
"In my naivete, I did not understand how critical my choice of words is, the extent to which the written word is black or white can be misleading, and how important it is that I be completely clear with the meaning and wording of each answer. In addition, I thought that the answers I give would always be quoted in their own words, and that they would not use a certain part of them to make the title sexier," she said.
"I was wrong, and I have no complaints to anyone. No one promised me an amusement park, I learned the rules of the game the hard way. Thanks for the lesson.
"I am optimistic about our world and the people in it. I believe the gaps in our society are smaller than some want us to think," she said. "That's it, now onto music."
Erez caused controversy during a March interview with the London-based Huck magazine in which she responded to a question about artists boycotting Israel such as Roger Waters by saying: "I believe BDS did an important job in putting the spotlight on the situation, but I hope all the effort, time, and money they put into it will be invested in discourse and connection. There are a lot of people on both sides who want it. Governments will not do it, it is very difficult to do. It's from the inside, and that's what makes the conflict deeper."