Dave Matthews “ashamed” at Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to US Congress

Dave Matthews was part of a sizeable organised protest against the appearance by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United States Congress this week.

• READ MORE: Bands on The Great Escape boycott: “Artists are realising they’re the ones with the power”

Crowds gathered on Capitol Hill outside the government building on Wednesday (July 24), holding banners including slogans such as “Wanted War Criminal”, as the Israeli leader addressed members of the Senate and the House Of Representatives.

While Netanyahu implored US leaders to support the war against Hamas in Gaza, the protesters outside argued that Netanyahu himself is a war criminal, citing the arrest warrant that has been sought by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Among those picketing was Matthews, who told Al Jazeera: “I just think it’s terrible when the majority of the world is looking at this man and what he’s doing in Gaza and then also what he’s overseeing in the West Bank and East Jerusalem [and] we’re welcoming [him] into the so-called sacred halls of our government.”

He added: “This man is the pinnacle of the obstacle toward that freedom and that we have [him] visiting the country is obscene. It’s a disgusting show of support for someone that doesn’t deserve our support.”

The current war escalated on October 7 last year when Hamas launched a terrorist attack on a music festival in Israel, killing over 1,200 and taking 250 others as hostages. Since then, more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli response, and over two million others have been displaced from their homes (via BBC News).

Countless other music industry figures have been similarly outspoken on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

In May, Paramore called for donations to support Gaza via the organisation Save The Children, while Brian Eno, members of Fontaines D.C., R.E.M and Bastille read out letters from Palestinians suffering in Gaza as part of a ‘Voices For Gaza’ initiative.

Paul Weller has expressed his support for Palestine too, as has Dua Lipa, while FKA Twigs made an appearance at a London fundraising show in support of Gaza and Sudan.

Damon Albarn spoke about the conflict from the stage at Glastonbury this year, while a group of record labels and promoters called for a cultural boycott of Israel through the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI).

The conflict has also had a significant impact on this year’s festival season, with over 100 acts dropping out of The Great Escape in solidarity with Palestine and in protest at the festival’s sponsorship by Barclays. Several names withdrew from Latitude for the same reason – although Barclays later withdrew from the event.

Elsewhere, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest was also plagued with controversy and protests over Israel’s inclusion in the competition.

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