Lana Del Rey cancels performance at Israeli festival after backlash

After heavy criticism from supporters of the Palestinian cause, Lana Del Rey has decided to "postpone" her performance in Israel.

The American singer and songwriter was scheduled to headline at the Meteor Festival, which will take place in the Galilee region from September 6 to 8.

However, on Friday, she released a statement announcing she is putting off performing in Israel until she manages to organize gigs in both Palestine and Israel.

Her decision came after fans and activists expressed their disappointment at her plans to perform in Israel, citing the latter's crimes against the Palestinians.

Among the critics was English musician Roger Waters, who called upon the artist to cancel her show in a statement shared on Facebook.

Del Rey initially defended her decision in a series of tweets, writing that she understands people's concerns and acknowledges the "certain travesties that have occurred in Israel". However, she insisted at the time that her performance was "not a political statement".

The artist has since backtracked on her decision to partake in the Meteor Festival and announced she is rescheduling her appearance in Israel until she can plan a show in Palestine as well.

"It's important to me to perform in both Palestine and Israel and treat all my fans equally," she wrote in a statement shared on Twitter.

In response, according to Billboard, Meteor Festival organizers wrote: "Just got the word that Lana will be a no-show at Meteor. We do appreciate her for choosing Meteor to help her score some press attention." 

They have since edited the statement and omitted the second part.

According to the BBC, Del Rey has previously canceled a gig in Israel due to the 2014 Gaza War, which saw Israeli forces kill more than 2,100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in less than two months.