Radiohead’s Thom Yorke has made a bold and emotionally charged statement: the band will not perform in Israel under the Netanyahu regime. But here's where it gets controversial—while Yorke stands firm in his stance, his bandmate Jonny Greenwood vehemently disagrees, sparking a heated debate within the band and among fans. In a recent wide-ranging interview with The Sunday Times, Yorke reflected on the band’s 2017 Tel Aviv performance and the intense backlash it received. He recalled a chilling moment in his hotel when a high-ranking individual approached him to express gratitude, leaving Yorke feeling like the concert had been co-opted for political purposes. ‘It horrified me,’ he admitted, ‘I thought the gig made sense at the time, but that moment made me want to get out of there.’
When asked if he would return to Israel, Yorke was unequivocal: ‘Absolutely not.’ He cited his deep opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, though he acknowledged that Greenwood, who has personal ties to Israel, sees things differently. And this is the part most people miss—Greenwood argues that boycotting Israel could backfire, giving the government an excuse to double down on its policies. ‘It’s far more dangerous,’ he said, ‘because they’ll just say, ‘Everyone hates us, so we’ll do what we want.’’
Yorke, however, has faced relentless pressure from pro-Palestinian activists, including the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, who accuse Radiohead of complicity in Israel’s actions against Gaza. ‘It wakes me up at night,’ Yorke confessed, expressing frustration that his life’s work is being dismissed as meaningless by critics. He recounted a recent encounter with a protester who demanded he distance himself from Greenwood, to which Yorke replied, ‘The true criminals are laughing at us while we squabble. It’s an expression of impotency.’
Greenwood, who has faced scrutiny for performing in Tel Aviv during the 2024 war, called the backlash ‘depressing.’ He’s currently working on an album with Israeli and Middle Eastern musicians, a project he admits makes him feel ‘frightened’ due to the potential backlash. ‘Booing at a concert doesn’t feel brave or progressive to me,’ he said. Yorke, sitting beside him, quipped dryly, ‘But you are whitewashing genocide, mate. And so am I, apparently, by sitting next to you.’
The divide within Radiohead extends beyond Yorke and Greenwood. Band members Philip Selway and Ed O’Brien also weighed in, with O’Brien suggesting the band should have performed in Ramallah in 2017 to balance their Tel Aviv show. Selway, meanwhile, called the BDS movement’s demands ‘impossible,’ noting that distancing themselves from Greenwood would mean the end of the band. ‘It’s odd to be ostracized by artists we felt aligned with,’ he added.
Here’s the real question: Can art and politics ever truly be separated? Should artists like Radiohead take a stand, even if it risks alienating fans or bandmates? Or is it their duty to remain neutral and let their music speak for itself? Yorke and Greenwood’s clash highlights the complexities of this issue, leaving fans and critics alike divided. What do you think? Is Radiohead’s decision to boycott Israel under Netanyahu justified, or does Greenwood’s argument hold more weight? Let’s keep the conversation going—because this is one debate that’s far from over.
