An Israeli legal rights group is suing two New Zealand activists for mental harm to the teens missing out on Lorde's cancelled Israeli concerts.
New Zealand singer Lorde. Photo: AFP / Yomiuri
Justine Sachs, a Jewish New Zealander, and Nadia Abu-Shanab, from a Palestinian family, wrote an open letter to Lorde last year asking her to join the artistic boycott of Israel.
The singer has since cancelled her concerts there.
"If Lorde had the guts to come here … she'd see Israel is the most democratic state … in the Middle East" - Nitsana Darshan-Leitner
Israeli law group Shurat HaDin is filing a case under a 2011 Israeli law allowing civil lawsuits against anyone calling for a boycott of the country.
It is thought to be the first case under the legislation, formed to oppose the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, a global pressure campaign.
A lawyer for Shurat HaDinm, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, told Morning Report the law group was arguing in its case that the boycott movement was trying to destroy the state of Israel.
"It's a movement that wants to harm the citizens of the state of Israel - and they have no idea what's really going on here in Israel."
Lorde had the right to decide where she staged concerts, but the problem was that the cancellation was made due to false allegations, Ms Darshan-Leitner said.
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner said the compensation lawsuit was claiming $US15,000 for mental harm to the teenagers who were hurt by the cancellation of the show.
- RNZ / BBC