Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood has defended his ongoing collaboration with Israeli artist Doudou Tassa amid criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, calling the backlash “unprogressive” and “silencing.”
Greenwood, a composer and musician who also plays in Radiohead spinoff group The Smile, has been performing with Tassa since 2008. Last year, Greenwood and Tassa released a collaborative album called “Jarak Qaribak,” a collection of Arabic love songs featuring artists from across the Middle East.
The pair performed together in Tel Aviv on May 26, the day after Greenwood took part in protests calling for the release of Gaza hostages and new elections in Israel. According to the Jerusalem Post.
Shortly after the performance, the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement released a statement accusing Greenwood of “artwashing genocide.”
“Palestinians firmly condemn Jonny Greenwood’s shameful artwashing of Israeli genocide,” the statement said. “We call on you to peacefully and creatively pressure his band, Radiohead, to credibly distance themselves from their blatant complicity in this crime, or face grassroots action.”
Greenwood responded on Tuesday with a statement on his social media accounts.
https://t.co/BcqpR8cOUH pic.twitter.com/TBrCbCleBS
— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) June 4, 2024
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“I think artistic projects that combine Arab and Jewish musicians are valuable,” he wrote, “as well as projects that remind everyone that the roots of Jewish culture in countries like Iran and Yemen go back thousands of years.”
Greenwood lamented that “this, or any artistic endeavor by Israeli Jews, is being silenced” by “those who are trying to shut us out, or who are now trying to attribute sinister ulterior motives to the band’s existence.”
“No art is more ‘important’ than stopping the death and suffering that is happening all around us,” he says. “How can that be? But doing nothing seems like a worse option, and silencing Israeli artists because they were born Jewish in Israel doesn’t seem like a way for both sides in this never-ending conflict to understand each other.”
Greenwood is married to Israeli visual artist Sharona Katan, who has also spoken out in support of Israel’s military operations and whose nephew was killed in action while serving in the Israel Defense Forces this year.
Radiohead has a long history with Israel: Their smash hit “Creep” first became a hit on Israeli radio after not initially making it abroad, and the band has continued to perform there throughout their career, despite protests from fans and activists.
After widespread criticism of their 2017 Israeli concert, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke said the band was not stand I participated in the BDS movement. It was later revealed “Playing for a country is not the same as supporting its government.”
