Roseanne Barr will be speaking out against hatred and bigotry in the Israeli Knesset on January 30. Is she apologizing for her past tweets? Nope. In a statement released to Deadline, Barr said that she would be coming to Israel as a voice against “the insidious and anti-Semitic BDS movement.” BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel. The movement’s goal is to isolate Israel in a similar manner as South Africa was under apartheid. And just like that boycott effort, one of the most visible battlegrounds has been over the hearts and minds of musicians. Remember when Lorde canceled a planned concert in Tel Aviv? That was BDS.
When Lorde canceled her Tel Aviv gig this time last year, a man who calls himself “America’s Rabbi,” Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, took out a full-page ad against the singer in the Washington Post. This same rabbi is now taking Barr to Israel. The two have a storied history: One of the first media stops after Barr got fired for racist tweets was to Rabbi Shmuley’s podcast. While on the trip, Barr also plans on “further[ing] my own knowledge of Jewish and Israeli history.” Also, ignoring The Conners.
