Natacha Atlas cancels concert in Israel

Belgian singer Natacha Atlas, also a former goodwill ambassador at the United Nations Conference against Racism ten years ago, has decided to boycott Israel by postponing a concert she was scheduled to give in December. Informing organizers by e-mail of her decision, Atlas said she would have liked all her Israeli fans to fight apartheid with peace but decided that postponing her visit would be far more effective. Israeli producer Lior Kameli confirmed he had received notification to cancel the singer's concert that was to have taken place on December 3. Kameli said he regretted Atlas' s decision and said those who already brought tickets for the performance would receive their money back. Atlas earlier this year dedicated a song to the Egyptian people for the uprising that led to the ouster of the former President Hosni Mubarak.