Harlem-born rapper Azealia Banks has gone on a Twitter offensive against Israel, claiming she faced racism as she travelled to Tel Aviv for her concert. She said she was treated badly on numerous occasions because of her skin color. The African American celebrity gave her account on hostile encounters and unpleasant incidents in several Tweets, complaining about:
being mistreated by vendors…
Sidebar: i love my fans but the people in Tel Aviv are really very rude. The folks at the hotel, in restaurants, at the grocery store treated me with such disregard I really didn’t enjoy my time here. The show was great tho
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
Anytime I walked into a restaurant the people seemed annoyed that I wanted to eat. The people at the grocery store asked me what I was doing there… pretended they didn’t speak English when I asked for help.
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
Why are these people like this? I don’t understand… the amount of times I’ve been purposefully coughed on, stepped on, cut in line is tooooo much. I need a strong drink
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
…the staff at Ben-Gurion International Airport (it stated, however, that Banks had been treated like any other tourist or citizen), and the airline she flew on, which she called racist…
How much y’all wanna bet these racists at this airline lost my bag on pudpose
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
The people at security deliberately took extra long to search my things clearly because I am black. I had an escort with me and everything… they still held me up while I watched a bunch of white folk move past me quickly and get to their gates on time
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
…and travel companions, including a rabbi, who allegedly harassed her.
On my flight back I sat next to a rabbi who taught me some numerology then asked if I’d have sex with him for money.. “away from the community”.. it was kind of kinky but I politefully declined.
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
No some old Jewish lady on my el al flight screamed at me in front of the whole plane for trying to put my bag where hers was. It was so racist I sat in my seat and cried
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
She was so annoyed that she said she’d come back to Israel only if she’s paid well…
I didn’t get paid enough to put up with the social culture in Israel tbh. I won’t be coming back unless it’s for some real money
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
… but in a subsequent tweet she promised she’d never go to Israel again.
I will never ever ever ever ever go to Israel again. I love my fans but y’all gonna have to fly out to come see me because y’all country is nuts
— CHEAPY XO (@cheapyxo) 8 мая 2018 г.
Azealia Bank’s revelations got a huge response on Twitter; however “Israeli racism” was no news for many commentators, noted that it’s on the rise in Israel.
WHAT? Racism against a non-Jewish black woman? In Israel? A state whose leaders regularly use the N-word, associate black folks with death-causing diseases like ebola & cancer, who round them into camps & deport them back to the tortures they fled from? Who could have predicted?! pic.twitter.com/9UjwYgJ7HZ
— David Sheen (@davidsheen) 9 мая 2018 г.
From a Jewish Israeli citizen, Israel is a racist #Apartheid state, as many of us had told you!
— Ofer Neiman (@ofer_n) 9 мая 2018 г.
We need your support to promote #BDS and end this racism, occupation and apartheid.
Best wishes!
Sister we told you not to go, we tried to spare you that reality. What Palestinians and Africans have to endure is 1000% worse too.
— Magnificent (@Ironyisfunny8) 9 мая 2018 г.
Others stated that she shouldn’t have gone to Israel at the first place…
You shouldn't have gone to Israel to begin with. What part of "don't play for apartheid" didn't you get? The part where it's about more than just YOU? IF YOU ARE AGAINST RACISM YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE IN THE FIRST PLACE. Wow, so it happened to you and NOW you get it.
— (((Emmanations))) (@emma_rosenthal) 9 мая 2018 г.
READ MORE: 'Apartheid State': UN Slams Israel For Human Rights Violation
Some said the racism is baseless…
You ignorant racist. Any non citizen has their bags checked before checking in. My Jewish cousins and friends complain Israelis are rude, but you go on rants blaming racism. Educate yourself on the place you go to, before you embarrass yourself. https://t.co/kwSAKnAe3M
— Storyteller Rebecca 🍀 🏀 (@dorothyofisrael) 9 мая 2018 г.
S-s-seriously. As an immigrant to Israel from America I am constantly frustrated by encounters with pushiness, rudeness and abruptness of the nature of Israeli culture — but that is *not* racism dude! This is what we call cultural diversity @cheapyxo. https://t.co/CP86I26xqP
— Jenna Hughes Romano (@Jenna_H_Romano) 9 мая 2018 г.
…and some stated that she has no credibility and cares only about money.
u know how she is right? entertainers and celebrities primarily care about money (not judging, it's a business for them). the fact that she would forgo a lucrative show in Israel shows that the country is too "nuts" for it to be worth it to her
— Bullshit Detector (@abuelbullshit) 9 мая 2018 г.
@cheapyxo In other words you oppose racism unless the pay is better… then you can look the other way. SHAME ON YOU #BDS Israel #Freepalestine!
— Kajsa Anckarström (@K_Anckarstrom) 9 мая 2018 г.
Azealia Banks calls another black woman a tar baby & says she should pick cotton. She calls Zayn Malik a "sand ni66er." She slammed #BDS but allegedy witnesses racism in Israel, now hates the whole country
— 🌍Inner Strumpf🌎 (@InnerStrumpf) 9 мая 2018 г.
What a blithering idiot. Banks has zero credibility. She is the problem. https://t.co/tADVaW6DCp
Incidentally, in February, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement called on her to cancel a very gig, which ended up being a disappointment for her. But she had decided to perform and opposed the boycotting, saying "Me cancelling my concert would be totally anti-Semitic and I'm not going to EVER make any of my fans feel like they don't have a place in my heart.”
Banks’ revelations came hot on the heels of another celebrity scandal, involving an Oscar-winning actress, Natalie Portman, who declined an invitation to an award ceremony of the “Jewish Nobel Prize.” In April the Hollywood star passed on a Genesis Prize evening to fetch a $2 million prize due to her “distress over recent events” and was blamed for sympathizing with BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) supporters. She denied all accusation saying that she pulled out of the ceremony since she didn’t want to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to give a speech there.
