Alicia Keys found herself in hot water this week, with the 15x-Grammy winner’s recent social media activity causing some backlash on the internet.
“What would u do if you weren’t afraid of anything???” Alicia Keys’s caption read on the now-deleted Instagram post. “Tell me your truth… I’ve had my eyes on paragliding.”
The reference to “paragliding” led to many commenters accusing Alicia Keys of promoting antisemitism and tacitly showing support for Hamas, the militant group based in the Gaza Strip that orchestrated the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
Part of the Hamas assault included the use of motorized paragliders. At least 1,400 Israelis died as a result of the coordinated offensive that also targeted the Supernova Sukkot Gathering, which took place approximately three miles from the Gaza–Israel border.
Alicia Keys returned to Instagram to address the negative reactions to her previous “paragliding” message. According to the recording artist, she didn’t intend to show support for Hamas or spew any antisemitic rhetoric.
“The post I shared earlier was COMPLETELY unrelated in any way to the recent devastating loss of innocent lives,” Keys wrote on her Instagram Story. “My heart has been breaking… I pray for and stand for peace.”
Since the outbreak of violence between Hamas and Isreal on October 7, the conflict has become a touchy subject for celebrities. For example, Jewish rapper Drake faced criticism for not speaking out. However, his father, Dennis Graham, argued Drake made the right decision to remain quiet on the topic.
According to reports, the combined Israeli and Palestinian death toll has surpassed 4,000 people. There’s also significant concern about mounting civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza following Israel’s air strikes and blockade of the area. U.S. President Joe Biden will visit the region on Wednesday (October 18).