Miami, FL- A spirited group of activists gathered outside of the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami to protest the performance of Idan Raichel. Raichel is an outspoken proponent of the Israeli Defense Force and of Israel’s occupation of Palestine, and has performed in illegal Israeli settlements and for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).

Protesters stood outside of the performance center holding signs and handing out pamphlets. Signs read, “Jews against the occupation” and “Idan Raichel: Pro-war, pro-apartheid.” Organizers warned concert-goers not to be fooled by the musician’s self-given title as a “proponent of peace,” pointing out Raichel’s connection to right-wing organizations such as Thank Israeli Soldiers and Friends of the IDF.

The international community, including a growing number of people in the U.S., has condemned Israel for war crimes against Palestinians. The IDF is known for targeting and killing civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, using banned chemicals including phosphorous against civilian populations, and denying the right of return for millions of Palestinian refugees. Israel exists as a colonial force which denies Palestinians the right to self-determination and to basic human rights.

Members of some local groups including Jewish Voices for Peace, Al-Awda, and People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR) called for Raichel to end his support of the Israeli occupation and of the IDF, which killed over 2200 Palestinians in 2014 alone.

The protest was called for by Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP), which opposes Israeli occupation of Palestine and military aggression against the Palestinian people. JVP also calls for a just solution for Palestinian refugees based on principles established in international law and an end to violence against civilians.

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