News Team | sounds magazineThom Yorke continued to defend Radiohead’s decision to play a concert in Israel after British filmmaker Ken Loach once again urged the band to call off their July 19th gig in Tel Aviv. Loach is among many musicians and activists calling on Radiohead to cancel the show in solidarity with the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement, which calls for a complete cultural boycott of Israel until Palestinians are granted the “right of return” and the West Bank barrier is demolished.
“It’s really upsetting that artists I respect think we are not capable of making a moral decision ourselves after all these years,” says Radiohead singer
“Playing in a country isn’t the same as endorsing its government,” Yorke wrote in a note posted to Twitter. “We’ve played in Israel for over 20 years through a succession of governments, some more liberal than others. As we have in America. We don’t endorse [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu any more than Trump, but we still play in America. Music, art and academia is about crossing borders not building them, about open minds not closed ones, about shared humanity, dialogue and freedom of expression. I hope that makes it clear Ken.”