Waters reconsidering Israel boycott

After repeatedly calling on fellow musicians not to perform in Jewish state, former Pink Floyd frontman says he is rethinking his position. 'I care more about the outcome than I do about the moment,' he explains

Or Barnea|Published: 04.18.13 , 13:28

Cultural boycott against Israel? Perhaps that's not "the way to go" after all. Former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, who has been calling on other musicians to boycott the Jewish state until the Israeli government "ends the occupation of the Palestinian people," says he is now rethinking that position.

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Waters: Israel boycott is 'the way to go'

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Waters: Israel boycott is 'the way to go'

In an interview to the Huffington Post this week, Waters said: "I am considering my position. The letter asking my fellow musicians to boycott Israel has never appeared. I am thinking all of this through extremely carefully because I care more about the outcome, because I care about the people involved, than I do about the moment."

He added that he was being "very, very careful to avoid some kind of dramatic moment that could very easily blow up" and undermine his influence in the longer term.

רוג'ר ווטרס בגדר ההפרדה (צילום: AP)

Roger Waters at separation fence (Photo: AP)

Although his letter was not published, Waters has repeatedly called on fellow artists not to perform in Israel.

Waters performed in the Israeli village of Neve Shalom in 2006 in front of some 60,000 people. A day earlier, he visited the separation fence and has since become very involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Despite reconsidering his position on the boycott, Waters continued to criticize the Israeli government in the Huffington Post interview, saying it was focused more on short-term tactics than long-term strategy, which he said should be geared towards peace and human rights for everyone in the region.

"The occupation and the settlement building is an impregnable obstacle to peace," he said, citing Oscar-nominated documentary "The Gatekeepers." "There can never be peace unless the occupation ends and the settlement building ends."