Jonny Greenwood, Radiohead’s guitarist, criticized the cultural boycott of Israel in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, saying he opposes calls to shun artists who perform or collaborate with Israelis. Greenwood was promoting his new album, Ranjha, and was asked about his long-running partnership with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa, as well as the cancellation of their planned U.K. tour last year after a boycott campaign.
Asked whether the canceled shows changed his view, Greenwood paused before saying he admires many Israeli filmmakers, writers and musicians, and that the music he makes with Tassa revives ancient songs that predate most of today’s warring states. “That will always be more important to me,” he said. He added, “In bookstores in Madrid, they openly sell the books of Amos Oz, and he is Israeli. For me, canceling music is like taking books off the shelves.”
Greenwood and Tassa have collaborated for years, released the album Jarak Qaribak together, and have performed in Israel. Last year’s planned U.K. tour was scrapped under pressure from boycott activists, who argued that a cultural boycott is a legitimate form of protest. Greenwood continues to defend working with Israeli artists.
When the interviewer tried to ask about the war and the situation in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, Greenwood, who is married to Israeli artist Sharona Katan, declined to engage, saying, “I’m not sure how that relates to me making an album with Indian musicians in Oxford.” A record label representative then stepped in and asked that the interview stay focused on music.
This was not Greenwood’s first comment on the issue. In a joint Radiohead interview with The Sunday Times last year, he said a cultural boycott could end up strengthening Israel’s government. “You could argue the government would use the boycott to say, ‘Everyone hates us, so we’ll do exactly what we want.’ That is much more dangerous,” he said. He also said he had joined protests against the government at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and added, “I have no loyalty, or respect, of course, for the government, but I do have loyalty and respect for artists born there. I can’t just say to them, ‘I’m not making music with you because of the government.’ It makes no sense.”
