TEL AVIV — A concert featuring Neil Young and Crazy Horse that was expected to draw more than 30,000 to Hayarkon Park here July 17 was canceled on July 13 by Israeli authorities. Police cited safety risks from a possible rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as the reason for the cancellation.
Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians flared after three hitchhiking Israeli teens were abducted June 12. Since their bodies were discovered June 30, there have been a number of retaliatory killings and military strikes.
Palestinian officials say that an Israeli military offensive on the southern Gaza Strip resulted in 159 civilian deaths. Palestinian militants have since fired hundreds of rockets toward Israeli targets, including some in Tel Aviv. No casualties had been reported as of July 14.
Although Israel’s military has intercepted some of the rockets and others have fallen in open areas, the threat of a continuing barrage led to the concert cancellation, with authorities noting that the site was well within rocket range from Gaza.
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we must cancel our one and only Israeli concert due to tensions which have rendered the event unsafe at this time,” Young said, in a statement. “We’ll miss the opportunity to play for our fans and look forward to playing in Israel and Palestine in peace.”
Young added that he is making donations to both the Louise Tillie Alpert Youth Music Centre of Israel and Heartbeat, “two organizations that teach music to Palestinian and Israeli youth simultaneously by enabling them to play music together.”
