In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, pop star Dua Lipa had this to say about October 7 and its aftermath:
More recently, she’s signed and supported a petition for a cease-fire to the Israel-Hamas war that has torn Gaza to shreds and displaced millions.
“My feelings on displaced people [are] very real and raw, and it is a difficult subject to speak about because it’s so divisive,” she says. There’s a somber shift as she carefully gathers her thoughts. “But there is a world where you can feel for all lives that are being lost. And I have to say this: I don’t condone what Hamas is doing, regardless of what [that advertisement in] The New York Times said [in 2021]. Every life is precious.”
As she continues, she points out how important it is for people to properly educate themselves on the crisis, especially in the face of rampant misinformation.
“I feel so bad for every Israeli life lost and what happened on Oct. 7,” she says. “At the moment, what we have to look at is how many lives have been lost in Gaza, and the innocent civilians, and the lives that are just being lost. There are just not enough world leaders that are taking a stand and speaking up about the humanitarian crisis that’s happening, the humanitarian cease-fire that has to happen.”
Lipa is is empathizing with all innocent lives lost – whether Israeli or palestinian Arab. And while she does not “condone what Hamas is doing”, it is not exactly an all-out condemnation either. At the same time, she is calling for a ceasefire – which only serves to give Hamas time and the means to regroup and come back at us to try repeat October 7 again and again.
Her reference to “what the New York Times said” is a 2021 advertisement taken out by Shmuley Boteach, condemning Lipa and the Hadids for their antisemitism,
an accusation Lipa rejected:
— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) May 22, 2021
even though she did once share an antisemitic post calling us “fake Jews.”
My point: Lipa’s history of anti-Israel and even antisemitic posts, coupled with her recent statements in Rolling Stone, should make it clear to the anti-Israel brigade that she is definitely not pro-Israel to say the least.
Alas, the vast majority of Israel-haters have made known their support for Hamas’ atrocities and complete disregard for innocent Israeli life, so for them, Lipa went too far in “not condoning” Hamas and expressing sadness over “every Israeli life lost and what happened on Oct. 7.”
These responds speak volumes about the Israel-hating crowd, and none of it is good.
As for Lipa, it would be great if all of this caused her to reevaluate her views and allegiances. It matters little that so many of us are not so familiar with her or her music – the fact she has a following on social media alone more than six times the amount of Jews in the world is what matters.
