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| Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez urged to boycott Israel |
Reports that US singers Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez will perform in Israel this summer have triggered a pre-emptive campaign by activists, who are calling on the stars to boycott Israel in solidarity with the plight of Palestinians.
By Thursday, at least two petitions against Beyonce's rumoured concert date in Tel Aviv had been launched, while social media users attached the #canceltelaviv hashtag to posts as they called on the pair to support a boycott. Neither of the musicians' websites confirmed reports in Israeli media that their performances would go ahead this summer.
Al Jazeera contacted the management teams for both artists and is yet to receive a response.
"There have been several news stories indicating that Beyonce's management is in final negotiations for a concert in Tel Aviv," Evan Greer, the activist who launched the "Tell Beyonce not to play apartheid Israel!" petition, told Al Jazeera.
"The best thing for Beyonce's management to do would be to publicly clarify that she will not be performing in Tel Aviv, and issue a statement of solidarity with the Palestinian people," Greer added.
'Brutal apartheid occupation'
Others, including the Palestinian-American author Randa Jarrar and the writer and activist Che Gossett, pleaded with the African American celebrity on social media not to bring her "Formation" tour to Israel.
Greer continued: "Notable musicians like Elvis Costello, The Pixies, Carlos Santana, and Gil Scott-Heron have all cancelled performances in response to calls to join the boycott.
"Each time a major artist like this cancels a show, it brings much needed international attention to the situation in occupied Palestine."
The documentary filmmaker Ronan Tynan, meanwhile, protested a potential visit by Jennifer Lopez, saying he was "shocked" the 46-year-old "could let herself down so badly backing Israel's brutal apartheid occupation [by] playing Tel Aviv."
In Beyonce's case, many criticised what they called hypocrisy as the African American celebrity's latest song and accompanying video for "Formation" pays homage to racial inequality and the Black Lives Matter movement.
She performed the song, which references black pride, at the Super Bowl on Sunday alongside dancers dressed in Black Panther-themed outfits.
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