Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has spoken out firmly against the cancellation of his 2025 UK tour dates with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa, likening the pressure from pro-Palestinian boycott campaigns to cultural censorship. In a recent interview, Greenwood drew a direct parallel between stopping live music performances and removing books from shelves, sparking renewed debate in the ongoing cultural battle surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The cancellations occurred after credible threats and protests linked to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeted the duo’s shows. BDS urged fans to pressure venues, citing Greenwood and Tassa’s previous performances in Israel, including dates in Tel Aviv in 2024 and March 2025, which coincided with heightened tensions in Gaza. The campaign described Tassa as acting as a “cultural ambassador for apartheid Israel.”
In response to questions comparing the situation to the cultural boycott of South African artists during apartheid, Greenwood pushed back strongly in an interview with El País. “I’m a fan of lots of Israeli films and writers and musicians, and the music I make with Dudu is resurrecting songs that are older than most of the countries that are currently fighting each other,” he said. “That’s always going to be more important to me. There are bookshops in Madrid that are openly selling Amos Oz’s novels and he’s Israeli. To me, cancelling music is the same as taking books off shelves.”
Greenwood and Tassa had previously issued a joint statement condemning the cancellations: “Intimidating venues into pulling our shows won’t help achieve the peace and justice everyone in the Middle East deserves.” They described the actions as “self-evidently a method of censorship and silencing,” noting that venues received enough credible threats to deem the shows unsafe.
The collaboration between Greenwood and Tassa highlights their shared interest in bridging cultures through music. Their project revives traditional songs from across the Middle East, featuring musicians from diverse backgrounds including Palestinian artists. Greenwood has long been involved in cross-cultural musical endeavors, such as his work with Shye Ben Tzur and The Rajasthan Express.
Despite the cancellations, Greenwood has continued focusing on his solo and scoring work, including Oscar-nominated film soundtracks, while Radiohead activities have also faced boycott calls. The BDS movement has repeatedly targeted the band for past performances in Israel, arguing that cultural engagement normalizes or “artwashes” Israeli policies.
Greenwood’s latest comments have drawn mixed reactions. Supporters praise his defense of artistic freedom and cultural exchange, while critics accuse him of ignoring the broader political context and the calls for pressure on Israel. The debate echoes long-standing tensions in the music industry over whether artists should be held accountable for their governments’ actions or allowed to perform regardless of nationality.
As one of Radiohead’s most innovative members, known for his experimental guitar work and film scoring (including collaborations with Paul Thomas Anderson), Greenwood has consistently prioritized music as a unifying force above political divisions. His stance underscores a belief that art — whether books, films, or live performances — should transcend geopolitical conflicts.
