Demi Lovato Under Fire for Going on a Sponsored Trip to Israel

The 27 year-old singer received massive backlash after sharing posts of her trip to Israel, praising the country in a lengthy Instagram caption describing it as ‘magical’.

Her post showed her baptism in the Jordan River which she wrote filled "the God-sized hole in her heart." The caption read: "I am an American singer. I was raised Christian and have Jewish ancestors. When I was offered an amazing opportunity to visit the places I’d read about in the Bible growing up, I said yes."

She went on to say, "There is something absolutely magical about Israel. I’ve never felt such a sense of spirituality or connection to God…something I’ve been missing for a few years now. Spirituality is so important to me…to be baptized in the Jordan river – the same place Jesus was baptized – I’ve never felt more renewed in my life. This trip has been so important for my well-being, my heart, and my soul. I’m grateful for the memories made and the opportunity to be able to fill the God-sized hole in my heart. Thank you for having me, Israel."

Demi Lovato’s fans were quick to call her our for praising the controversial country, referring to war crimes Israel has committed against Palestinians over the past century.  

According to Amnesty International UK, the Israeli government has enforced several policies against Palestine that have resulted in thousands of Palestinians’ homes being destroyed. Palestinian land has been occupied and rights of its people to live, work and move freely have been denied. Israel has also imposed an illegal blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007.

As a response, the singer has deactivated comments on her post, and has made a public announcement apologizing for the incident. Lovato claims she had no idea about the political conflict between Palestine and Israel. She insisted that her trip was a spiritual experience and not a political statement to her, but she did admit that she accepted the "free trip" in exchange for a "few posts" promoting Israel.

Some fans did come to her defense, suggesting that she traveled for spiritual reasons.

But many social media users insisted Lovato's trip was politically motivated, calling it a form of propaganda on behalf of Israel.