By Andrew Tobin

Amid rumors that Bruce Springsteen will perform in Tel Aviv this summer, he and his E Street Band have come under fire from  supporters of boycotting Israel.

On Monday, band guitarist Steven Van Zandt — who is also known for playing a mobster on HBO’s “The Sopranos” — responded in typically direct style. In a series of tweets, he called Israel boycotters “politically ignorant obnoxious idiots” and suggested to one “go f— yourself.”

Van Zandt has taken tweet heat before for the unconfirmed show. And he’s not alone among his bandmates. Bassist Garry Tallent has been heckled by the  Twittersphere. And self-described anti-Zionist Stanley Cohen, who has more than 20,000 Twitter followers, went after the Boss himself back in February:

Stanley Cohen — You’ve spent a lifetime writing about principle, dignity, justice and truth. Was it all a lie? Don’t play Israel. BDS

The latest BDS brouhaha emerged unexpectedly from a seemingly unrelated Twitter conversation. On Sunday, a fan bemoaned to Van Zandt Springsteen’s  cancellation of a show in North Carolina last month in opposition to the state’s recently enacted “bathroom law,” which targets transgender people by requiring bathroom use according to the gender on a person’s birth certificate. A Twitter user then accused Van Zandt of touring other countries “which do much worse.”

Stevie Van Zandt — Sorry Brother. Had to take a stand. We’ll be back. Discrimination of any kind is unAmerican. And I Am A Patriot.

Wahoos 79 — Yet you tour and support other countries which do much worse. You only hurt your fans.

Stevie Van Zandt — That’s different. They are not OUR country. We are Americans. America is supposed to be better. To set an example.

In response to a skeptic who said “not buying that one,” the rocker got testy.

Stevie Van Zandt — Nothing to buy because I ain’t selling. I’m telling it like it is. America even defends your right to stay ignorant!

When someone suggested he “quit justifying #hypocrisy,” Van Zandt got downright mad.

Stevie Van Zandt — Ok asshole it’s time for you to go f—- yourself. Justify that.

After some debate about what makes America so great, and whether it’s OK to call it America, the argument came around to the boycott issue. A user asked why, if Van Zandt gave other countries a pass, had he gotten involved in the movement against South African apartheid with the 1985 protest song “Sun City.” Van Zandt said that was about the U.S., too.

Stevie Van Zandt — It was our government’s policy keeping apartheid alive. This was unacceptable and we fixed it and took them down.

Then, a certain Patrick — whose Twitter bio reads: “I have one issue human rights for Palestine people” — brought Israel into it.

patrick — well we still in the apartied business supporting the rouge state of Israel wen will there be a Gaza city concert.

This earned a double-tweet smackdown from Van Zandt.

Stevie Van Zandt — You and the other Israel boycotters are politically ignorant obnoxious idiots. Israel is one of our two friends.

Stevie Van Zandt — in the Middle East. In addition to the fact that a boycott in that case would accomplish nothing. Go get educated.

Told “Israel totally meets apartheid definition under under itl law,” Van Zandt averred it was complicated.

Stevie Van Zandt — Trust me I am at least as aware of most of the injustices around the world as you are. One solution does not fit all.

Then he said it twice more.

Stevie Van Zandt — The problems there have existed for a thousand years and you want the solution in 140 characters?

Stevie Van Zandt — I understand how it might appear that way but your analysis is incorrect. It’s a lot more complicated than SA.

Replying to Van Zandt’s assertion that boycotting Israel “would accomplish nothing,” someone tweeted, “But a boycott in north Carolina will?” Van Zandt had a simple answer for that one.

Stevie Van Zandt – Yes.