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Kanye West in Los Angeles in March 2022: "I deeply regret any pain I may have caused"
Photo: Ashley Landis/AP
Kanye West has apologized for making anti-Semitic remarks in the past. He apologized "sincerely" to the Jewish community for his words and actions, the controversial rapper posted in Hebrew on Instagram. It was not my intention to hurt or treat anyone with contempt, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused."
He wants to "learn" from this experience and be more sensitive and understanding in the future, the rapper, who has changed his name to Ye, continued. It was unclear why the 46-year-old was apologizing now of all times: His sensational anti-Semitic outbursts were more than a year ago.
But the apology comes two weeks before the release of his new album »Vultures« – and amid rising tensions over the war between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas, which has also led to an increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the United States.
Kanye West had made threats against Jews on Twitter in October 2022. As a result, he was not only banned from Twitter – now X. The German sporting goods manufacturer Adidas ended its cooperation with the rapper, and other companies also turned their backs on him.
Just a few weeks later, West, who is said to be suffering from mental health problems, said he liked Hitler and "dear Nazis." The rapper has also caused a stir with his proximity to right-wing populist former US President Donald Trump. Then, in March, Kanye West said he had turned away from anti-Semitism.
kha/AFP/AP