Waters rejects Palestinian plea to nix Israel concert

Despite past criticism of West Bank barrier, the voice of Pink Floyd stresses he'll play in Tel Aviv.

By JASON SILBERMAN, JPOST.COM STAFF
roger waters 88 (photo credit: )
roger waters 88
(photo credit: )
Legendary British rock musician Roger Waters's upcoming trip to Israel has aroused the ire of Palestinian artists. Waters is most famous for being the voice of the seminal 1960s and 70s psychedelic band Pink Floyd and the writer of their final hit, Another Brick in the Wall. However, Waters was not deterred by their complaint, The Guardian reported Thursday. The Palestinian Association for Contemporary Art and the League of Palestinian Artists wrote to Waters to express its dismay. "Palestinian as well as several international artists asked in shock: how can the artist whose name around the world was for many years associated with breaking walls of injustice be in any way complicit with the monstrosity of Israel's wall, declared illegal by the international court of justice?" Last year, Waters was among several British artists who supported a War On Want campaign against the West Bank barrier. At the time, Waters said, "The poverty inflicted by the wall has been devastating for Palestinians. It has kept children from their schools, the sick from proper medical care and continues to destroy the Palestinian economy." On Wednesday, Waters refused to consider canceling his trip. "I have a lot of fans in Israel, many of whom are refuseniks. I would not rule out going to Israel because I disapprove of the foreign policy any more than I would refuse to play in the UK because I disapprove of Tony Blair's foreign policy." Waters, who along with several critically-acclaimed solo albums to his credit, helped Pink Floyd become one of the world's most popular bands, with such epic albums as The Wall, Animals, Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon. The band split in 1985, due to continuing differences between Waters and lead guitarist David Gilmour. Waters' most recent release is an opera, Ca Ira, released last year. The concert in Israel will take place June 22 at Hayarkon Park.