Demi Lovato's mom defends trip to Israel: 'I will undoubtedly, unapologetically go again'
While Demi Lovato apologized for her trip to Israel — after receiving backlash — her mother won’t be following suit.
Dianna De La Garza, who accompanied Lovato on the free trip this week, said their visit was one of “only love” and that she will “unapologetically go again.”
Along with a photo of their two hands touching the Western Wall, De La Garza wrote that stop in the Old City of Jerusalem “was the highlight of my trip.” She said she will “never forget that day... or that trip as we celebrated life and Christianity as we learned about the Jewish faith while listening to the Muslim call to prayer. There was no fighting, no judgement, no cruel words...only love.”
De La Garza made it clear that there will be no apology coming from her, adding, “And I will undoubtedly, unapologetically go again one day.”
On Wednesday, Lovato found herself apologizing for the free trip — during which she was baptized in the Jordan River and had a spiritual awakening — amid criticism that she was taking a side in the country’s longstanding conflict with Palestine. Lovato apologized to those she offended in a message on social media, saying the trip was not mean to be “a political statement.”
“I’m sorry if I’ve hurt or offended anyone, that was not my intention,” she wrote, adding, “I love my fans, all of them, from all over.”
In a subsequent post, Lovato declared herself “exhausted” by the topic and didn’t want to discuss it further, including with “friends / family,” though not mentioning anyone specifically. De La Garza tagged her daughter, so presumably she had the green light to post her unapologetic message.
Before her apology, Lovato shared photos of her many stops during the trip on social media, including the World Holocaust Remembrance Center and the Shalva National Center. She said that, having been raised Christian and having Jewish ancestors, the “magical” trip filled “the God-sized hole in my heart.”
Lovato and her mother are very close. The singer has resided with De La Garza on and off since her 2018 overdose — and Lovato often posts on social media about their mutual obsession with The Bachelor. Lovato was recently linked to the Bachelorette’s Mike Johnson.
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