Bruno Mars Cancels Tel Aviv Concert Amid Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Bruno Mars set to make history with back-to-back concerts at Tel Aviv’s HaYarkon Park, abruptly canceled his show on Saturday amid escalating tensions in Israel. Mars was poised to become only the third American artist to perform two sold-out concerts at the 70,000-capacity venue, following the footsteps of Madonna in 2009 and Michael Jackson in 1993. His first concert last Wednesday, lasting nearly four hours with two local Tel Aviv acts opening, was met with immense anticipation. as reports of a coordinated Hamas-led terrorist attack emerged early Saturday, the situation escalated rapidly. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the nation to be “at war” with Hamas later that day. Consequently, Live Nation Israel, the concert’s promoter, announced the cancellation in the afternoon. By 2 p.m., Bruno Mars and his 60-person crew were at Ben Gurion Airport, en route to Athens. Tickets for the canceled show were refunded to the credit cards used for the purchase. According to Billboard, the gear for his band was left behind. 

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