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Enrico Macias concert banned in Turkey over support for Israel
Turkish authorities announced on Wednesday the cancellation of a concert by French singer Enrico Macias scheduled for Friday in Istanbul, following calls to protest against the artist due to his pro-Israel positions.
The Istanbul Governorate stated in a press release that the decision aimed to prevent any demonstrations during the concert “against the genocide by the terrorist state of Israel in Gaza and its supporters,” while acknowledging the legitimacy of protests.
“I have had the privilege of singing in Istanbul and Izmir for over sixty years, two cities I particularly cherish for their extraordinary audiences,” the 86-year-old singer told AFP.
“I am deeply surprised and saddened not to be able to reunite with my audience, with whom I have always shared values of peace and brotherhood,” he added.
In a mid-August interview on the French media Legend, broadcast on YouTube, Macias, who has several times defended Israel’s response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, stated that he “has always sung for peace between Jews and Muslims. All the time.”
“I am the first Jew to have brought together Jews and Muslims,” he asserted. “My problem is that I cannot tolerate terrorist violence. And if there has been violence on Israel’s side, it is because of Hamas,” he added, emphasizing he has “nothing against the Palestinians.”
Born in 1938 into a Jewish-Arab family in Constantine, Algeria, Macias has not returned to Algeria since leaving in 1961 due to political outrage over his support for Israel.
“I remain hopeful. If fate allows me to return to Algeria, I will not refuse,” he told AFP in spring 2023.
With over 60 years of career and 150 songs, Enrico Macias has popularized Arabo-Andalusian music. His hits such as “Enfants de tous pays” and “Les gens du nord” are part of the Francophone musical heritage and have traveled internationally.
