On Monday, journalist Bari Weiss shared her thoughts on the cancellation of punk rap duo Bob Billan’s US visa, suggesting that it’s not really about freedom of speech. Instead, she believes it’s part of a broader movement addressing anti-Zionism.
Weiss remarked, “Of course, this punk rocker Bob Billan—someone I hadn’t even heard of before—has every right to say death to the IDF,” during an appearance on News Nation. She emphasized that the issue goes beyond mere words. “This is really about identifying a cultural movement attempting to push Jews out of public institutions.”
As a Jewish person, Weiss expressed her disapproval of the band’s recent chants that targeted the Israeli military amidst global unrest. In reaction, the Israeli Embassy condemned the chants as “inflammatory and hateful rhetoric.”
However, Weiss acknowledged that the UK operates under different principles compared to the US, which lacks First Amendment protections. “What we see here is not just an effort to criticize Israel but to demonize the Israeli army since October 7,” she explained, referencing the protests calling for a free Palestine.
Weiss continued, stating, “Part of this movement aims to erase Israel from existence. And the troubling part of this discussion is the erasure of Jewish voices from the moral dialogue.”
In spite of the backlash, Bob Billan defended their on-stage remarks through a post online. “We do not support the deaths of Jews, Arabs, or any other groups. Our focus is on dismantling violent military operations,” they stated.
The duo added that there’s a military force using “unnecessary deadly force” against civilians, causing suffering in Gaza. “We’re not just these figures in front of the spotlight; we want to shine a light on bigger issues,” they concluded, referring to the distractions created by the sanctions they face.
