Madonna Defends Decision to Perform at Eurovision in Israel

Madonna is not bowing to boycotts.

The “Like A Prayer” pop superstar, who is due to perform at Eurovision, responded to protests from pro-Palestinian groups who want companies and performers to boycott Israel in a statement on Tuesday (May 14).

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“I’ll never stop playing music to suit someone’s political agenda nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights wherever in the world they may be. My heart breaks every time I hear about the innocent lives that are lost in this region and the violence that is so often perpetuated to suit the political goals of people who benefit from this ancient conflict. I hope and pray that we will soon break free from this terrible cycle of destruction and create a new path towards peace,” she said.

Madonna will be performing two songs on Saturday (May 18) during the Eurovision final in Tel Aviv, Israel. Over 189 million people tuned into the 2018 broadcast.