Pro-Palestinian Arab organizations in Jordan are demanding a boycott of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli's upcoming concert in Petra, accusing the internationally renowned singer of supporting Israel and its military, AFP reported Wednesday.
The November 27 performance, scheduled to take place in the ancient Jordanian city, is part of Bocelli's “Romanza" world tour marking three decades of his musical career.
The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement in Jordan is among the organizations calling for the concert's cancellation.
“We call on you to boycott Andrea Bocelli’s concert because of his long-standing public support for the Israeli enemy... Do not buy tickets! Demand... the cancelation of the concert," said BDS Jordan, one of the signatories to the appeal.
“It is unacceptable for Petra - one of the most iconic sites in Jordan and the Arab world - to become a platform for someone who has raised funds for the occupation army," the organization added.
Bocelli, 68, who has been blind since the age of 12, has maintained ties with Israel despite longstanding pressure from activists to boycott the Jewish state.
In 2022, he performed at a stadium in Tel Aviv before an audience that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, disregarding calls to avoid performing in Israel.
The Italian singer has also reached out personally to Israelis who survived Hamas captivity following the October 7, 2023, massacre.
Among them was Yaffa Adar, whose abduction became one of the most recognizable images of the Hamas attack. Footage showed terrorists surrounding Adar as she was taken into Gaza on her mobility scooter.
After learning that Adar had drawn strength from memories of his music while in captivity, Bocelli sent her a personal letter and offered to host her at any of his concerts at his own expense.
In December of last year, Bocelli also welcomed former Hamas hostage Segev Kalfon to his home in Miami.
The singer and his wife, Veronica, spent time with Kalfon during what sources described as a warm and personal encounter. Bocelli performed for the Israeli survivor and offered him words of encouragement.
Bocelli, who is not Jewish, has also supported organizations connected to Israel's military. In 2010, he performed at a fundraising event in Los Angeles benefiting a group that supports the Israeli military.