The One Republic band came to Israel not only to rock Tel Aviv, but also to show support for the Jewish State by visiting IDF soldiers in the field.
Defying calls to boycott Israel, the One Republic musicians are slated perform for 20,000 fans in Tel Aviv on Thursday.
The American band took the opportunity to tour the country and made a surprise visit to IDF soldiers stationed at an Iron Dome rocket defense system in southern Israel on Wednesday.
The band members said they feel safer in Israel than anywhere else in the world, and they seemed very excited to meet with the soldiers. They were also surprised to learn how young these brave fighters are, as men and women begin serving in the IDF at the age of 18, in most cases.
Speaking to Israel’s Channel 2, lead singer Ryan Tedder referred to the pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel campaign that the band encountered, saying they were inundated with messages through their social media accounts calling on them to join the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against the Jewish state.
The One Republic tour will continue on to Turkey, make several stops in eastern Europe and wrap up in Italy and Switzerland.
