Pearl Jam's lead singer blasts Israel on stage
During England concert, Eddie Vedder lashes out at those 'looking for a reason to go across borders and take over land that doesn’t belong to them,' adding: 'They don't get our taxes to drop bombs on children.'
After leading the audience in singing "no more war," Vedder said: "So what the f***? What the f***? We can have this many people having a peaceful time. We can have modern technology. We can reach our friends. They know what we're thinking before we're thinking it. The advertisers know what we’re thinking before we’re thinking it. We have technology, all this in our hands.”
“'But at the same time something this positive is happening, at the same f***ing time, not even that far away, people are f***ing dropping bombs on each other."
Watch Eddie Vedder address audience during Milton Keynes concert (forward to the 4:00 mark)
In what seemed as an attack against the Israeli operation in Gaza and its ramifications, although he did not explicitly mention the Jewish state by name, Vedder added: "And I get if war is the last resort, if they're coming on you, I can get it, I get it. You don't want to be in that situation. But I swear to f***ing God, there are some people out there who are looking for a reason to kill.
"They’re looking for a reason to go across borders and take over land that doesn’t belong to them, and they should get the f*** out, mind their own f***ing business… Stop the f***ing sh** now! Now! Now! We don’t want to give them our money. They don't get our taxes to drop bombs on children."
Vedder went on to tell the audience, "Eat, procreate, make some art, listen to music, f**k some more, have another baby, eat work, love, love, love… So why are people at war?"
He then led the audience in singing, "War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing."
Vedder's monologue was posted in YouTube following the concert, sparking many comments from Israelis who saw it as incitement and a one-sided presentation of the situation in the Middle East.
"You do realize we left Gaza nine years ago, right? And ever since, we've been getting bombed from there every day by the officially-declared-terrorist group Hamas who are holding half a million Palestinian citizens hostage," one of the comments read.
"Good music-bad person who is obviously brainwashed," another Israeli added.
"So this is the true reason for not coming to Israel???" someone asked. "The true reason for ignoring your loyal Israeli fans who have been begging for you to come for years?"
Another person wrote, "Same as Roger Waters. Good music, bad person." And someone else added, "Oh Eddie, you're such a great musician. Do yourself a favor and stick to music. Politics aren't for you."
Despite being one of the most popular bands in Israel, Pearl Jam has never performed in the country with all its members. The reason, according to rumors, is lead singer Eddie Vedder and his political opinions.
