Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead’s guitarist and one of the world’s best-known musicians, has publicly criticized the cultural boycott of Israel in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País. Greenwood was promoting his new album, Ranjha, and was also asked about his long-running collaboration with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa and the cancellation last year of their planned UK tour after a boycott campaign.
Asked whether the cancellation had changed his view, Greenwood paused before saying he admires many Israeli films, writers and musicians, and that the music he makes with Tassa revives ancient songs that predate most of the countries now at war. “That will always matter more to me,” he said.
He also defended working with Israeli artists by comparing a music boycott to a bookstore removing books from its shelves. “Bookshops in Madrid openly sell the books of Amos Oz, and he is Israeli,” Greenwood said. “For me, canceling music is like taking books off the shelves.”
Greenwood and Tassa have collaborated for years, released the album Jarak Qaribak, and have performed together in Israel. Their planned British tour was scrapped last year after pressure from boycott activists, who argued that cultural boycotts of Israel are a legitimate form of protest. Greenwood continues to support artistic cooperation with Israelis.
When asked about the war and the situation in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, Greenwood, who is married to Israeli artist Sharona Katan, declined to comment, saying he did not see how it related to making an album with Indian musicians in Oxford. A label representative then asked that the interview stay focused on music, and no further questions on the conflict were raised. Greenwood had made similar remarks last year to The Sunday Times, saying a boycott could strengthen the Israeli government by allowing it to claim that the world hates Israel. He said he had joined protests against the government in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, but added that he felt no loyalty to the government, only respect for artists born there.
