Demi Lovato apologizes for trip to Israel, says it was ‘not a political statement’
Demi Lovato is sorry for her visit to Israel after facing backlash. Image: Instagram/@ddlovato
After gushing about the “connection to God” she felt on her trip to Israel, Demi Lovato is apologizing for traveling to the country as she was criticized for appearing to have pro-Israel sentiments.
The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer posted pictures of her travels to the country yesterday, Oct. 2, on Instagram. She explained that her Jewish roots and Christian upbringing inspired her to learn more about the Biblical places found in Israel.
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Sharing a picture of her baptism, she said, “Spirituality is so important to me…to be baptized in the Jordan river – the same place Jesus was baptized – I’ve never felt more renewed in my life.”
“This trip has been so important for my well-being, my heart, and my soul. I’m grateful for the memories made and the opportunity to be able to fill the God-sized hole in my heart. Thank you for having me, Israel,” she added.
Lovato also paid a visit to the Wailing Wall and to the country’s official Holocaust memorial, the Yad Vashem. Her last post about the trip was a picture of her at a center that cares for people with disabilities.
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Reactions to her trip were mixed, with some viewing her posts as “glorifying” Israel amidst its long-drawn conflict with Palestine.
Lovato disabled comments on her Instagram and issued an apology today via her Instagram Stories on Oct. 3, stating that her trip was “not a political statement.”
Image: Instagram/@ddlovato
She said she took the free trip for Instagram posts and that she was not informed that she “could possibly be offending anyone.”
“With that being said, I’m sorry if I’ve hurt or offended anyone, that was not my intention,” she wrote.
She stressed, “This was meant to be a spiritual experience for me, NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT and now I realize it hurt people and for that I’m sorry.”
“Sorry I’m not more educated, and sorry for thinking this trip was just a spiritual experience.”
She said she was issuing the apology against advice because she would “rather get in trouble for being authentic to myself, than staying quiet to please other people.”
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been long-running mainly over taking control of the same land. There has been criticism of how Israel has treated Palestinians; Amnesty International states that Israeli forces have been involved in unlawful killings and detentions and forcing evictions of Palestinian residents. /ra
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