NEW ZEALAND SINGER LORDE CANCELS ISRAEL SHOW

NEW ZEALAND : Singer Lorde has cancelled a June show in Israel after facing pressure from supporters of a boycott of the Jewish state over its occupation of Palestinian territory.

''I've received an overwhelming number of messages and letters and have had a lot of discussions with people holding many views.

''And I think the right decision at this time is to cancel the show,'' wrote the 21-year old award winning star in a statement distributed by Naranjah, the Israeli promoters of her Tel Avis show.

''I'm not too proud to admit I didn't make the right call on this one,'' she said.''I'm truly sorry to reverse my commitment to come play for you. I hope one day we can all dance.''

Naranjah responded : ''We forgive Lorde and wish her a successful tour of Russia and the US.''

The movement behind the pressure on Lorde is knows as BDS -Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions -and says it is inspired by the campaign that targeted South Africa's apartheid regime and is seeking an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank.

In July, BDS activists failed to get British rock band Radiohead  to call off its show in Tel Aviv despite heavy pressure from artists such as Pink Floyd's Roger Waters.

Israel sees BDS as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-Semitism -a claim activists firmly deny, calling it an attempt to discredit them.

A few politically active musicians have called off shows in Israel over the past years, including Lauryn Hill and Elvis Costello.