Thom Yorke says he would 'absolutely not' perform in Israel again

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has announced a drastic shift in his stance on performing in Israel, following years of backlash from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement over the band's controversial Tel Aviv gig in 2017.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Yorke and his bandmates discussed the divisive decision despite outcry from pro-Palestine supporters and advocates of BDS- a campaign urging consumers to boycott companies and institutions deemed complicit in the oppression of Palestinians under Israeli occupation.

Yorke has since clarified his position, saying he would now "absolutely not" perform in Israel, further telling The Sunday Times: "I wouldn't want to be 5,000 miles anywhere near the [Benjamin] Netanyahu regime."

With the BDS movement gaining further momentum amid global opposition to Israel's two-year genocidal war on Gaza, artists across the entertainment industry have been thrust into the spotlight and urged to use their platforms to amplify Palestinian voices from the devastated enclave.

Radiohead's decision to play in Tel Aviv in 2017 has continued to draw scrutiny, with a pro-Palestine protester confronting Yorke during a solo show in Melbourne last year, amid mounting condemnation of Israel’s actions since 7 October 2023.

Yorke was filmed arguing with the individual and later stormed off stage.

The musician also faced anger from activists for remaining silent on Gaza since the outbreak of the war, until he issued his first statement in May this year, describing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration as "extremists" who "need to be stopped".

Reflecting on Radiohead’s 2017 performance at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, Yorke recalled in his Sunday Times interview: "I was in the hotel when some guy, clearly connected high up, approached me to thank me. It horrified me, truly, that the gig was being hijacked. So I get it - sort of.

"At the time, I thought the gig made sense, but as soon as I got there and that guy came up? Get me the f*** out."

The English frontman also emphasised that guitarist Jonny Greenwood "has roots there", referencing Greenwood’s connections to Israel through his marriage to Israeli artist Sharona Katan and frequent collaborations with Israeli-born rock musician Dudu Tassa.

Greenwood told the magazine that he would "politely disagree" with Yorke, defending his Israeli connections and arguing that "the government is more likely to use a boycott and say, 'Everyone hates us - we should do exactly what we want', which is far more dangerous."

Meanwhile, the band's drummer, Philip Selway, defended Greenwood after the BDS campaign called for a boycott of Radiohead concerts, citing his bandmate’s "crossing of our peaceful picket line during Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza" earlier this year.

Selway told The Sunday Times Magazine that "what BDS are asking of us is impossible."

He continued: "They want us to distance ourselves from Jonny, but that would mean the end of the band, and Jonny is coming from a very principled place. But it’s odd to be ostracised by artists we generally felt quite aligned with."

Greenwood faced further criticism for performing in Tel Aviv last year alongside his Israeli collaborator Dudu Tassa, with BDS accusing the Radiohead musician of "shameful art-washing" by taking part in the event amid reports from rights groups and UN experts that concluded Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.

Elsewhere, guitarist Ed O’Brien- who has previously expressed support for the pro-Palestine movement- reflected on the band’s 2017 Tel Aviv gig, stating that they "should have played Ramallah in the West Bank as well."

The Sunday Times interview was reportedly conducted before the announcement of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and ahead of Radiohead’s first tour in seven years.

The band’s controversies have also been criticised by other prominent musicians, including Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, a vocal supporter of the BDS movement who has long condemned Radiohead’s 2017 performance in Tel Aviv.