Rock legend Roger Waters has spoken to RT America’s Anya Parampil in a wide-ranging interview that airs on Thursday. Ahead of that, we have a clip of Waters criticizing fellow musicians Radiohead for not boycotting Israel.
In addition to discussing President Donald Trump, ongoing tensions between the US and Russia, and the Israel lobby, Waters called out Radiohead’s Thom Yorke for refusing to participate in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights, in an interview that broadcasts on RT America on Thursday, August 10 at 5pm Eastern (21:00 GMT).
Waters and other BDS supporters recently asked Radiohead to join the cultural boycott of Israel and cancel a gig scheduled in Tel Aviv last month. The band rejected the call, but Waters still hopes to speak with the frontman personally.
Yorke explained that his band doesn’t endorse the Israeli government or its occupation of Palestine. He added, however, that the band also doesn’t support President Trump, but that it doesn’t prevent Radiohead from playing in the US.
For Yorke, the separation of performance and politics is clear, but in the case of Israel, that’s something Waters takes issue with. “Thom Yorke is wrong about not endorsing the policies of the Israeli government by playing there,” Waters told RT America’s Parampil.
“Spokespersons of that government have said how excited they are, that this is the best thing that’s happened for their hasbara, which is the explaining to the rest of the world what a wonderful and precious democracy Israel is.”
Waters likened the BDS movement to a striking “picket line,” which, once crossed, ultimately serves the Israeli government’s purposes, no matter what an artist’s intentions may be.
“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,”Waters told RT.
“That’s why Radiohead are being so soundly criticized by anybody with progressive ideas about human rights, because they have taken that step.”
Waters also addressed Yorke’s other point about performing in the US.
“The people of the United States have not got together as a civil society and asked performers from the rest of the world not to come and perform in the United States.”
Palestinians, on the other hand, “are an occupied people, and there is an organized resistance against the occupying army,” Waters says.
Parampil asked Waters why his BDS message isn’t being heard in the US media or even on nighttime talk shows.
“We’re not quite sure, but it comes from above,” Waters said, relaying what he alleges a producer for PBS reporter Charlie Rose told him. “So, you can figure it out for yourself. It’s not rocket science,” Waters said.
https://www.rt.com/usa/399141-pink-floyd-roger-waters-interview/
“Parampil asked Waters why his BDS message isn’t being heard in the US media or even on nighttime talk shows.”
We know why and we don’t care if they spread the message or not. The people are intelligent enough to figure out what Israel is doing to the Palestinians as well as other nations around the world, including our nation.
Waters, keep up the good fight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God bless Roger and keep him safe. He’s dismantling The Wall.
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Thanks, Rog, and maybe you can use some of that loot you made with the illustrious Pink Floyd to help stop the abomination anti-BDS bill sponsored by the abomination AIPAC…that’s up to you (and being a Brit and all) but the only way S-720 and its House version 1697 does not pass is for some wealthy folks like you spending to stop it! Because the next thing you know, Hagee and CUFI will get Congress to pass a bill stating Christians can’t put Jesus Christ ahead of Israel! After all, Rog, it’s all about the money!
yorke is a fag and his masters feed him and his platform for buggery.
I doubt he would EVER go against the machine that promotes his “ideals”.
Perhaps the eagles of death metal(a la Paris hoax attack) can open for radiohead? They told Roger to F himself when he proposed they boycott them because they love is-real-hell so much.
Maybe they could have a real attack on them then? Wishful thinking…
Waters is the man. Huge respect to him for having the courage to follow his conscience and oppose the Zionist smear machine. The world needs more famous people like him speaking out. The more who do that, the easier it gets for others to follow suit.
Pink Floyd made a lot of great music, too, so that’s a bonus.