Much to the chagrin of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, pop legend Lionel Richie is set to perform in Israel no matter what.
Richie, 70, is the voice behind timeless ballads such as "Endless Love," "Stuck on You," and the iconic "Hello," as well as a slew of R&B hits.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
The winner of multiple Grammy and American Music awards, as well as the 1985 Academy Award for "Say You, Say Me," Richie is scheduled to perform in Live Park Rishon Lezion, in central Israel, on Sept. 12.
Moreover, Richie has recently blocked BDS group Code Pink on social media, after a harassment campaign seeking to pressure him into canceling the Israeli show.
"Lionel Richie is one of the most beloved musical artists in the world. His music brings joy to millions but sadly, he has agreed to perform in Israel, ignoring that the Israel government and military are responsible for the oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian people. Please sign the petition asking Lionel Richie to cancel his performance in apartheid Israel," Code Pink said in a post on its website touting the hashtag #LionelDontGo.
The group went on to warn Richie that performing in Israel "will act as an endorsement of Israel's brutal systems of military occupation and apartheid," and urged him to follow "in the footsteps of artists like Lauryn Hill, Lorde, and Lana del Ray," all of whom cowered to BDS pressure and canceled their shows in the Jewish state.
The R&B star's decision to insist on performing in Israel is also interesting given the fact that he is considered hugely popular in the Arab World.
His albums, which have sold over 100 million copies worldwide, hold several sales records in Iran and Iraq, and famously, Iraqis played his hit "All night long" all over Baghdad when US forces made their entrance to the city in 2003.
