Dave Matthews: 'I Oppose Israel’s Policies, But I Am Not Anti-Semitic'

Following reports of antisemitic chants at his concert, the American musician sought to distance himself from them and delivered an entire speech clarifying his views: "On October 7, an atrocity took place on the other side of the world, and it continues to this day. I will never stop calling for an end to the violence in Gaza."

Dave Matthews | Photo: Reuters

A performance by American musician Dave Matthews held in North Carolina last weekend has gone viral in recent days, following a speech in which he clarified his position on Israel. Matthews’ move came after reports of antisemitic chants heard among the audience at a previous concert by the singer. At his latest show in Raleigh, North Carolina, Matthews distanced himself from those remarks and read a prepared statement in which he sought to emphasize his beliefs.

"It is no secret, at least I am not trying to hide it, that I do not agree with the policies of Israel and the United States regarding their treatment of the civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank. But in no way should that be interpreted as if I am racist or antisemitic," Matthews began. "On the contrary," he continued. "I have deep respect, love and appreciation for the culture and history of the Jewish people as long as I can remember. I do not think there is a group that has contributed more to the advancement and development of our understanding of one another, the world around us and the entire universe. If you think of Albert Einstein, the music of George Gershwin, the philosopher Hannah Arendt, Howard Zinn or, of course, the most famous child in the world, Anne Frank. And there are so many more. I must say that many of my closest and dearest friends are also Jewish."

In 2024, Matthews, the lead singer of the touring band Dave Matthews Band, joined a pro-Palestinian protest and demonstrated against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before the U.S. Congress. In an interview he gave at the time, he said: "This is a disgusting show of support for a man who does not deserve our support. I am ashamed that my tax money is funding the abuse of an entire people."

Matthews noted at his weekend performance that "I hold the Jewish people in the highest regard, and it breaks my heart that my views, which stem from a deep commitment to nonviolent solutions and nonviolent resistance, can be twisted to serve ideas of hatred, racism or prejudice. It breaks my heart, and I am deeply sorry for any misunderstanding or pain I may have caused, but my intention is to help bring an end to the seemingly endless violence."

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"I just wanted to mention something, I’m not sure I need to, but I’ll do it anyway," the musician said. "On October 7, two and a half years ago, I attended the bar mitzvah of the son of one of my closest friends. It was a beautiful day of witnessing respect, love and appreciation for that young man. Then everything was cut short by the atrocity and violence that took place on the other side of the world. An atrocity that continues to this day. But the violence born that day and directed against the Palestinian people is no less horrific, and it only multiplies death and suffering again and again."

To cheers from the audience, Matthews concluded his remarks at the show by saying, "I will never stop calling for an end to the violence in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, and also in Congo, Sudan and Ukraine. Or the terrible violence against immigrants and their neighbors in our country. I oppose the violence of any government against any people, especially against children. Because all children are all of our children. But my biggest fear is that we are beginning to get used to it. Let’s not let that happen. Let’s keep working as long as we can to create a better world for our children."