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Imagine Dragons defy boycott calls to play sold out show in Tel Aviv

The American band said they loved Tel Aviv at their gig in Yarkon park

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 11: Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons performs onstage during the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival at Footprint Center on February 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for On Location)

An American band has defied calls to boycott Israel, playing a sold-out show in front of 60,000 people in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park.

Imagine Dragons, an indie pop band formed in Las Vegas, were urged by pro-Palestine campaigners to ditch their show in Tel Aviv over claims about Israel's human rights record.

Holocaust survivor and activist Dr Gabor Maté urged the group to pull out of the show, saying: "I respectfully urge the progressive and humane-minded artists Imagine Dragons to stand by their principles and support both Palestinians and courageous Israelis by not performing in this apartheid country.”

But the band ignored activists calling for a boycott and addressed the crowd warmly at their show.

Lead singer Dan Reynolds told the audience “It’s not normal to have such a big crowd,” adding: “Tel Aviv, we love you.”

The band's Jewish drummer Daniel Platzman was also on stage and joined his bandmates in performing at Reading and Leeds festival last weekend before jetting off to Tel Aviv.

Earlier this summer, Robbie Williams also defied boycott calls to perform at Yarkon park, telling a crowd of Israelis that he was "grateful for the Jewish people" and paid tribute to his Jewish wife Ayda Field and their four children.

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