Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters has urged singer Robbie Williams not to perform a scheduled concert in Israel next month.
In a column written exclusively for Salon, the outspoken Israel critic appeals to Williams’ love of football by drawing his attention to an incident in July last year in which four Palestinian children were killed by Israeli shells as they played football in Gaza.
The Israeli military said the target of the strike had been Hamas terrorist operatives and described the deaths of the children as a "tragic outcome".
Roger Waters has been a staunch critic of Israel for some time
Referring to the incident as a “war crime”, Waters expands on his theme, and states that by playing the 2 May show, Williams would be giving his “tacit support to the deaths of over 500 Palestinian children last summer in Gaza, including the four soccer players on the beach in Gaza and condoning the arrest and abuse of hundreds of Palestinian children each year living under Israeli occupation.”
Father-of-two Williams is UNICEF’s UK ambassador and has declared his support for its Children in Danger campaign.
Admitting to performing himself in Israel back in 2006 (“before I knew any better”) Waters continues: "As a UNICEF ambassador and a man of humanity and honour, you have, in my opinion, a duty to respect the picket line created by Palestinian civil society and a growing number of engaged musicians, artists and academics around the globe…
Robbie Williams is scheduled to perform in Israel on 2 May
“… To be clear, Robbie, whether intended or not, your decision to play in Tel Aviv gives succor to Netanyahu and his regime and endorses their exceptionalist and deadly racist policies."
Waters, who is an advocate of the BDS movement against Israel, has denied allegations of anti-semitism in the past.
Upon hearing his performance of Goodbye Blue Sky during The Wall tour, which featured an inflatable pig with a Star of David on it had roused offence in the Jewish community, Waters told Billboard in 2013 he was worried and concerned “that I would be considered to be a bully.”
At time of press, Williams had not publicly responded to Waters' column.