Roger Waters Slams Radiohead’s Israel Show, Calls It an Endorsement of Government Policies

Alexandra Holterman
·2 min read
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Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has been one of the most vocal opponents of Radiohead's decision to hold the closing show of their A Moon Shaped Pool tour in Tel Aviv, Israel. Though the show might have gone on — in this case, becoming Radiohead's longest set in 11 years — Waters recently appeared on RT to reaffirm his belief that the band's performance in the country served as a message of support for the Israeli government's policies.

"[Radiohead frontman] Thom Yorke is wrong about not endorsing the policies of the Israeli government by playing there," Waters said. "Spokespersons of that government have said how excited they are, that this is the best thing that's happened for their hasbara… When they cross the picket line, they are making a public statement that they do endorse the policies of the government, whatever they say, because that is what will be reported in Israel and that is what gets reported around the world."

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Yorke had previously responded to criticism directed to the band by issuing a statement on Twitter, writing that "playing in a country isn’t the same as endorsing its government… We don’t endorse Netanyahu any more than Trump, but we still play in America."

 

Waters, a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Palestinian civil society organization, addressed this comment, saying, "The people of the United States have not gotten together as a civil society and asked performers from the rest of the world not to come and perform in the United States."

It is for this reason, Waters said, that "Radiohead are being so soundly criticized by anybody with progressive ideas about human rights, because they have taken that step."

Watch the full interview below:

 

 

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