Michael "Flea" Balzary of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.. Photo: wiki commons.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will perform in Israel later this year, for the first time in the close to 30 years that the band has been in existence.

With 7 Grammy Awards, and over 65 million albums sold worldwide since 1983, the band announced in a video message that they’ll be adding their name to the list of music superstars to perform in Israel in 2012, with Madonna and Lady Gaga also taking part.

“I would like to announce our huge joy and pleasure and excitement and the thrill we have to come to Israel for the very first time,” said Michael “Flea” Balzary.

One of the Chili Peppers founding members, Hillel Slovak, was born in Israel. He passed away from a drug overdose in 1988.  The band expressed their “joy” and “thrill” to come to Israel in the face of calls from anti-Israel activists to refrain from performing in the Jewish state.  Their show will take place on September 10th in Tel Aviv.

“We’ve always had a great love for Israel,” the band said.

To view the video from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, expressing their excitement to be performing in Israel, click here.