British comedian and actor John Cleese denied on Tuesday that his decision to cancel his upcoming shows in Israel had anything to do with caving to pressure from the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
In a statement posted to his X account, Cleese explained that the decision was safety-related and stressed his fondness for the audience in Israel
"Contrary to the claims made by Alon Yurik Productions last night - which were subsequently reported - I am having to reschedule my shows in Israel planned for later this month following advice about safety. At 86, that is obviously all important,” wrote Cleese.
“I will rearrange these shows as soon as it's possible - and I would be happy to perform without receiving any fee,” he added.
“I am hugely fond of Israeli audiences and send my sincere apologies to all the people who bought tickets," concluded the actor, known for his roles in the Monty Python films and the British sitcom “Fawlty Towers”.
Cleese’s shows in Israel, organized by Alon Yurik Productions, were set to take place between November 26 and December 1, one in Jerusalem and three in Tel Aviv. All tickets had been sold out.
A statement released by Alon Yurik Productions on Monday said, “We deeply regret that John Cleese has succumbed to threats from BDS organizations, especially after all tickets to his performances had long been sold out. We will continue to give our all to bring the Israeli audience the finest shows and cultural events.”
Cleese had previously postponed his visit from June to November due to the war with Iran. Many believed that he had indeed succumbed to BDS pressure due to the fact that, in recent days, he had been actively reposting anti-Israel content on his X account, including videos targeting Israel and its leadership.