Roger Waters has responded to Thom Yorke’s comments in Rolling Stone about Waters’ and others criticism of Radiohead playing a July 19 show in Tel Aviv.
A letter was published to the group from the likes of Waters, Thurston Moore, Robert Wyatt, Julie Christie, Desmond Tutu and many others asking that Radiohead cancel their Israeli show in support of the BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) movement. Yorke said that he didn’t agree with the protest against Israel over Palestine and the letter “extremely upsetting”.
Today, Waters issued an open letter, first published by Rolling Stone, taking issue with Yorke’s version of events:
I read Thom Yorke’s interview in Rolling Stone. It needs a reply as it doesn’t tell the whole story.
On February 12th, hoping to start a dialogue, I sent an email expressing my concern about Radiohead crossing the BDS picket line to perform in Israel. A few hours later, Thom replied. He was angry. He had misinterpreted my attempt to start a conversation as a threat. So I tried again.
“Hey Thom,
I’m sorry. My letter wasn’t meant to be confrontational. I was reaching out to see if we could have the conversation that you talk about in your reply. Can we?
Love, R.”
I didn’t hear back. So silence prevailed for three weeks until March 4th when I sent a long heartfelt entreaty to Thom asking him again to talk.
In Thom’s interview with Andy Greene of Rolling Stone, in referring to Ken Loach and me, he says, “It’s deeply distressing that they choose to, rather than engage with us personally, throw shit at us in public.”
That is not true, Thom. I have made every effort to engage with you personally, and would still like to have the conversation.
“Not to talk is not an option.”
Today is the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Palestine by Israel. Fifty years living under military occupation. Fifty years for a people with no civil rights. Fifty years of no recourse to the law. Fifty years of apartheid.
The BDS picket line exists to shine a light on the predicament of the occupied people of Palestine, both in Palestine and those displaced abroad, and to promote equal civil rights for all the people living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea no matter what their nationality, race or religion. All human life is sacred, every child is our child, exceptionalism is always our enemy. There is no Us or Them, only Us.
Restiamo umani.
Love,
Roger Waters
