Demi Lovato issues apology over Israel trip

Demi Lovato has apologised for "hurting or offending" anyone over her recent visit to Israel. The singer, who described the trip "spiritual" in nature, addressed the backlash she received over visiting the country amid its long-standing conflict with Palestine.

"I accepted a free trip to Israel in exchange for a few posts. No one told me there would be anything wrong with going or that I could possibly be offending anyone. With that being said, I'm sorry if I've hurt or offended anyone, that was not my intention," she wrote on her Instagram Story on Wednesday. Lovato, 27, further said the tour was a spiritual experience for her, "not a political statement".

"Now I realise it hurt people and for that I'm sorry." She also said she was "sorry I'm not more educated, and sorry for thinking this trip was just a spiritual experience".

"I'd rather get in trouble for being authentic to myself than staying quiet to please other people. I love my fans, all of them, from all over the world," she added.