Pro-Palestinian demonstration in London, November 11, 2023/Twitter
Eric Clapton posted to his Facebook and Instagram accounts a post titled "Voice Of A Child" with a clip of footage of demolitions from Gaza, without showing for a single second the brutal massacre carried out by Hamas terrorists, the murdered, missing and abducted Israelis, including babies, children, women, the elderly and the sick.
As a result, masses of Israelis harshly criticized Clapton on social media. Idan Raichel wrote to him: "Hamas murdered hundreds of children on October 7, and kidnapped many more. And we didn't hear a word from you. Shame on you."
Tamir Greenberg wrote: "Mr. Clapton, I admire you with all my heart. In this regard, I must ask you to look deeper at the works and not share shallow and meaningless propaganda. The deaths of Palestinians and Israelis have one reason – Hamas. They are a source of evil. The publication of these hollow videos only portrays Israel as evil while Israel is the true hope of the Palestinians."
Eric Clapton performing in Hyde Park, London, July 2018/Getty Images, Samir Hussein
Meanwhile, Musicians for Palestine published a petition claiming that Israel is committing "crimes against humanity," calling on governments around the world to stop sending weapons to Israel, and apparently hinting that they will not be willing to perform in Israel in the future, saying: "We refuse to allow our music to be used to whitewash oppression and human rights violations everywhere." The petition is signed by more than 7,2 musicians, including British singer Marianne Faithfull, Britpop band Pulp and musician Brian Eno, Fontaines D.C. and Rage Legends The Machine's vocalist and guitarist.
"We cannot remain silent," the long petition said, and only one short sentence mentioned Israel, without elaborating on the horrific massacre the country underwent on October 3: "We mourn with all those who lost loved ones in Palestine and Israel." From there, the petition became fully pro-Palestinian: "The human catastrophe unfolding for 17.<> million Palestinians in Gaza, half of them children, is a clear case of genocide. We cannot be neutral in the face of such injustice. We cannot remain silent because <> years of total Israeli blockade have rendered Gaza unlivable. Almost all of the water in it is unfit for human consumption. Its health system has largely collapsed. Most children are anemic, with many severely malnourished."
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Marianne Faithfull/Getty Images, David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Mulberry
Jarvis Cocker of Pulp/Getty Images, Dave J Hogan
"We cannot remain silent after 75 years of military occupation and Israel's apartheid system against the Palestinian," the musicians added in the petition.
"We can't be silent. We draw inspiration from anti-apartheid artists who helped end apartheid in South Africa. We refuse to allow our music to be used to whitewash oppression and human rights violations everywhere. We insist that all governments stop sending weapons and military funding to Israel and any other country involved in crimes against humanity. Today we demand an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza, and an end to the siege."
- More on the subject:
- Gaza War
- Iron Sword War
- Eric Clapton
- Pulp
