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| Thom Yorke on Israel boycott pressure: 'I don't agree with the cultural ban at all' | Thom Yorke on Israel boycott pressure: 'I don't agree with the cultural ban at all' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has responded to the pressure being put on the band to pull out of a scheduled gig in Israel because of a cultural boycott, by calling it “deeply disrespectful”. | Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has responded to the pressure being put on the band to pull out of a scheduled gig in Israel because of a cultural boycott, by calling it “deeply disrespectful”. |
| Speaking with Rolling Stone, the singer said the cultural figures urging the band to pull out, which include Ken Loach and South African archbishop Desmond Tutu, are acting as if the band is “so retarded we can’t make these decisions ourselves”. | Speaking with Rolling Stone, the singer said the cultural figures urging the band to pull out, which include Ken Loach and South African archbishop Desmond Tutu, are acting as if the band is “so retarded we can’t make these decisions ourselves”. |
| “There are people I admire like Ken Loach, who I would never dream of telling where to work or what to do or think,” said Yorke, after the director said the band should cancel the date in Tel Aviv on 19 July “for their own self respect”. | “There are people I admire like Ken Loach, who I would never dream of telling where to work or what to do or think,” said Yorke, after the director said the band should cancel the date in Tel Aviv on 19 July “for their own self respect”. |
| The 47 cultural figures published the open letter, which was organised by Artists For Palestine UK, in April and urged the band to reconsider performing in a country “where a system of apartheid has been imposed on the Palestinian people”. It also claimed the band was operating with double standards after they supported Tibet’s bid for independence. | The 47 cultural figures published the open letter, which was organised by Artists For Palestine UK, in April and urged the band to reconsider performing in a country “where a system of apartheid has been imposed on the Palestinian people”. It also claimed the band was operating with double standards after they supported Tibet’s bid for independence. |
| “In asking you not to perform in Israel, Palestinians have appealed to you to take one small step to help pressure Israel to end its violation of basic rights and international law,” the letter read. | “In asking you not to perform in Israel, Palestinians have appealed to you to take one small step to help pressure Israel to end its violation of basic rights and international law,” the letter read. |
| “The kind of dialogue that they want to engage in is one that’s black or white,” said Yorke. “I have a problem with that. It’s deeply distressing that they choose to, rather than engage with us personally, throw shit at us in public. It’s deeply disrespectful to assume that we’re either being misinformed or that we’re so retarded we can’t make these decisions ourselves. I thought it was patronizing in the extreme. It’s offensive.” | “The kind of dialogue that they want to engage in is one that’s black or white,” said Yorke. “I have a problem with that. It’s deeply distressing that they choose to, rather than engage with us personally, throw shit at us in public. It’s deeply disrespectful to assume that we’re either being misinformed or that we’re so retarded we can’t make these decisions ourselves. I thought it was patronizing in the extreme. It’s offensive.” |
| Yorke also addressed the fact that the band’s lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood is married to an Israeli artist, Sharona Katan, who is an Arab Jew. | Yorke also addressed the fact that the band’s lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood is married to an Israeli artist, Sharona Katan, who is an Arab Jew. |
| “The person who knows most about these things is Jonny,” Yorke said. “He has both Palestinian and Israeli friends and a wife who’s an Arab Jew. All these people to stand there at a distance throwing stuff at us, waving flags, saying, “You don’t know anything about it!” Imagine how offensive that is for Jonny.” | |
| The controversy comes after 7,000 people signed a petition asking electronic act the Chemical Brothers to comply with the boycott and not to play a gig in Tel Aviv. | The controversy comes after 7,000 people signed a petition asking electronic act the Chemical Brothers to comply with the boycott and not to play a gig in Tel Aviv. |
| Other figures who have faced pressure for traveling to Israel and not taking part in the cultural boycott, include author JK Rowling who signed a letter in 2015 that said “cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory, and will not further peace”. | Other figures who have faced pressure for traveling to Israel and not taking part in the cultural boycott, include author JK Rowling who signed a letter in 2015 that said “cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory, and will not further peace”. |
| Radiohead’s gig is due to go ahead at Tel Aviv’s Park Hayarkon on 19 July. | Radiohead’s gig is due to go ahead at Tel Aviv’s Park Hayarkon on 19 July. |