Roger Waters Writes Open Letter To Israel

Roger Waters recently did an interview for the magazine that accompanies the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, and he has now written an open letter to the editor as he feels what was printed was not what he said.

In part, he writes, "Without wishing to fan the flames, I feel I owe it to my fans in Israel to correct the record on a number of points. The article was a serious distortion of the actual interview I gave. Both questions and answers were changed. I can only assume to suit an editorial agenda.

"The measured, reasonable and humane conversation that I had in Amsterdam was intended as a way for me to communicate with my Israeli fans, to explain my position on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), to break down Walls, and shed light on possible misunderstandings and our shared predicament. It has been re-written as a combative, ill-natured, dog-fight. It appears, with all its distortions and untruths, to want to maintain the status quo, alienate me from my fans in Israel and retreat from any consideration of the position that all the peoples of the region deserve to live in peace and justice with equal rights for all under the same laws, irrespective of color, race or religion... It is very shoddy journalism to hold up to be real, what is in fact, a fabrication..."

Waters has been continually attacked by pro-Israel groups not only for his stand on their battle with Palestine, but also for having the Star of David on the inflatable pig that flew around during his recent performances of Pink Floyd’s The Wall.