Selena Gomez has often been vocal about the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, and this time around, she was no different. The Hollywood pop icon had recently shared a heart-touching note on Instagram condemning the violence against innocent civilians, especially children. But the post didn’t sit well with a significant section of her fanbase, as Selena was dragged online for not doing enough to help the victims. She also claimed that she would delete her Instagram if her message failed.
Selena had posted the note along with a black-and-white picture of her younger sister, Gracie Elliott Teefey. Her statement read, “My heart breaks to see all of this violence and terror against people — especially kids. I hope everyone finds the peace and support they need, especially now.” It was followed by the hashtag #PrayforIsrael and a background of war-torn Gaza. Her message of focusing on the need to protect people had garnered over 570,000 likes by the end of the day.
However, many fans disagreed with Selena, and her account quickly deleted the Instagram post. The comment section was filled with trolling and hateful messages, with users accusing the singer of not doing enough for those suffering in the conflict, as well as of trying to play the victim card. The post started trending on social media, which was not a good sign for Selena.
It was soon discovered that the 31-year-old star had decided to delete her Instagram account for a while after she posted the message. Her decision was unclear, but it could be a response to the overwhelming negativity on her page. Selena is one of the most celebrities on the platform and is followed by 430 million people worldwide.
She has been in the limelight for recent music releases, including the chart-topping singles’ Calm Down’ and ‘Single Soon.’ However, she has been quieter than usual on her Instagram and TikTok accounts for the past two weeks.
Selena’s latest move comes on the heels of Gigi Hadid receiving backlash from the Israeli government and her entire family getting death threats after she broke her silence over the conflict. The model’s choice to speak out against the war sparked a backlash from the Jewish community in America, and she was even accused of being anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian. She later clarified that she does not stand in solidarity with either side and is only trying to raise awareness of the need for peaceful co-existence. She is working on her next album and hopes to release it by 2024. This will be her first studio album since the release of ‘Wolves’ in 2016. Selena has stayed away from the spotlight for most of the year. She had reportedly been struggling with her mental health. Her hiatus from the public eye came shortly after her breakup with Justin Bieber last summer.
