October 11, 2015
Media Coverage:
The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) has denounced a letter penned by former Pink Floyd singer Roger Waters to Bon Jovi slamming the band for refusing to join his cultural boycott of Israel and going ahead with their concert in Tel Aviv. In 2014, Waters urged the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Alan Parsons to cancel their tours in Israel.
Parts of the letter by Waters read, “Often in the past I have written detailed, and sometimes even persuasive, letters to colleagues in the music business, encouraging them not to give support to the Israeli government’s apartheid policies by performing in Israel. Having read Jon’s comments last week in Yedioth Ahronoth, I won’t waste my time drawing parallels with Apartheid South Africa and the moral stand that so many artists took then and that thousands are taking now in the face of decades of Israeli oppression of Palestinians.”
In an interview with an Israeli newspaper, Bon Jovi stated, “I always heard what a wonderful place Israel is – the birthplace of all religions. I have been everywhere and Israel was a place that I’ve always wanted to visit, but it never worked out. This time I insisted that Israel must be on our list and it happened!”.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the ADC, issued the following statement:
“Roger Waters is a leading advocate for the anti-Semitic BDS campaign against Israel, the only democracy in the Middle-East, so we are not surprised by his latest tirade. In fact, Waters has a terrible record of anti-Israel statements. We should not forget that in 2013, during his performance in Belgium, a giant pig balloon emblazoned with a Jewish Star of David floated above the audience and that in 2010 he used the Star of David imagery in a concert, followed by dollar signs in the song “Good Bye Blue Sky”. Waters also claimed that Hamas desires “permanent peace with Israel, and has compared Israel with Nazi Germany and Vichy France. Earlier this year, while promoting his film ‘Roger Waters the Wall’, the singer equated the Nazis with those who fought to defeat them when he stated, “I hope these worldwide screenings this coming September 29 will be a good opportunity to remember, not just our fallen loved ones, but all the other guys’ fallen loved ones. Ashes and diamonds foe and friend we were all equal in the end.” We are heartened that Bon Jovi rebuffed the promotion by Waters of his cultural boycott of Israel and urge other entertainers to call out those who continue to degrade, incite and spew hatred against Israel in furtherance of their twisted and bigoted cause.”
For more information, please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272-5677