Thom Yorke doesn’t agree with the backlash that has been received from fans and Palestinian activists about their upcoming show in Tel Aviv, Israel. With the ongoing issues involving Israel and their treatment of Palestinian people and the recent United Nations report that accused Israel of having established “an apartheid regime that oppresses and dominates the Palestinian people as a whole,” many are displeased with Radiohead’s unwavering interest in playing there.
Thom Yorke responded to the heat from established figures like J.K. Rowling, Noam Chomsky and even Roger Waters, who had Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich produce his most recent album. Yorke disagreed with the comments that have been made about Radiohead’s awareness of the situation in Israel and feels that their decision should be trusted by fans and colleagues.
“It’s really upsetting that artists I respect think we are not capable of making a moral decision ourselves after all these years,” Yorke said. “They talk down to us and I just find it mind-boggling that they think they have the right to do that.”
Yorke also mentioned that the campaigns that have been created to boycott this event are the kinds of actions that have brought a divide in America and have brought alt-right figures and people like President Trump into office. However, many activists insist that the people of Palestine are the voices that are pleading for the band to stay away and only just fans.
Seamus O’Brolchain, member of the UK-based activist group Radiohead Fans for Palestine said that Colin Greenwood refused to accept letters when they presented them to him and the band’s publicists and agents would not return their calls.
The concert is still set to take place at Park HaYarkon on July 19.
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