Thom Yorke has stated that Radiohead will “absolutely not” perform in Israel again.
The band from Oxford has had longstanding connections to the nation, having performed there numerous times since the 1990s. Israeli fans discovered Radiohead through their debut album, and guitarist Jonny Greenwood later married Israeli artist Sharona Katan.
As the conflict in Gaza has sparked worldwide protests, Radiohead faced mounting pressure to join the BDS movement, which they had previously declined to participate in. During a concert in Melbourne, Thom Yorke had a confrontation with a protester and subsequently left the stage, later issuing a detailed statement.
Radiohead is set to resume live performances later this year, but some long-time fans reacted negatively to this news. When Clash posted the tour poster, many disappointed followers expressed their discontent with the band’s position on Palestine.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, all five members of Radiohead engaged in a broad discussion regarding Palestine and their choice not to join BDS. When asked if the band would perform in Israel again, Thom Yorke dismissed the possibility, stating, “Absolutely not.” He added, “I wouldn’t want to be 5,000 miles anywhere near the Netanyahu regime, but Jonny has roots there. So I understand.”
Some commenters online suggested boycotting or protesting at Radiohead’s upcoming concerts, which distressed the singer. “This keeps me awake at night,” he remarked.
“They’re dictating how I should feel about my life’s work and what I ought to do next, implying that my thoughts are irrelevant,” he continued. “People are trying to take what I’ve created, which means so much to millions, away from me. But they have no right to do that – and I don’t consider myself a bad person.”
Jonny Greenwood disclosed that he is currently collaborating on a record with Israeli and Middle Eastern musicians, noting, “It's crazy that I feel scared to admit that. Yet it feels progressive to me – booing at a concert doesn’t seem courageous or forward-thinking.”
He added: “I spend a lot of time there with family and can’t simply say, ‘I’m not making music with you because of the government.’ That doesn’t make sense to me. I have no loyalty – or respect, obviously – for their government, but I do for the artists born there.”
Later in the interview, Greenwood mentioned, “The only thing I regret is involving Thom and the others in this situation – but I’m not ashamed of collaborating with Arab and Jewish musicians. I can’t apologize for that.”
Guitarist Ed O’Brien expressed that the band should have been more balanced in their tour scheduling, suggesting, “We should have played in Ramallah in the West Bank as well.”
Drummer Philip Selway commented on the criticism Radiohead has received from other musicians, stating: “What BDS is asking of us is unrealistic. They want us to distance ourselves from Jonny, but that would mean the end of the band, and Jonny comes from a very principled place. It feels strange to be ostracized by artists we generally feel aligned with.”
You can find the full interview HERE.
Radiohead will embark on a full European tour this Autumn, including four performances at the O2 Arena in London.
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Thom Yorke has stated that Radiohead will "definitely not" return to Israel. The Oxford band has had established connections to the country, having performed there.