Roger Waters says Hamas was ‘morally obliged to resist the occupation’ on October 7 and accuses Israel of ‘making up stories’ about the terror attack
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters said on October 7 that Hamas was “morally obligated to resist the occupation” and accused Israel of “making up stories” about the terror attack.
The 80-year-old musician sparked controversy last summer by wearing a “Nazi-style” jacket to his concerts, leading to him being investigated by German police after a performance in Berlin.
Speaking on the Rumble podcast System Update with Glenn Greenwald, the elderly rocker said there was “something very strange” about Israel not realizing Hamas was invading.
Waters – who said he was “an opponent of the entire Zionist exercise” then questioned the atrocities committed by Hamas – saying the terrorist organization was “absolutely legally and morally obligated to resist.”
Waters said: “We don’t know what they did, but were they justified in resisting the occupation? Yes!
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters sparked controversy last summer by wearing a “Nazi-style” jacket to his concerts, leading to him being investigated by German police after a performance in Berlin
Speaking on the Rumble podcast System Update with Glenn Greenwald (pictured) – the elderly rocker said there was ‘something very suspicious’ about Israel, not realizing Hamas was invading
Supporters of the Jewish community demonstrated outside the O2 Arena in June before Mr Waters performed (pictured)
He wore the controversial outfit again during his performance in London
“But again, it’s the Geneva Convention – they have an absolute legal and moral obligation to oppose the occupation since 1967. It is an obligation.’
He continued: “As I said in a statement afterwards, if war crimes have been committed, I condemn them.
‘They have finally come up with figures on how many people actually died that day, and who they were.
“Probably the first 400 were Israeli soldiers – that’s not a war crime.
“Of course I don’t condemn that, but the case was blown out of all proportion because the Israelis made up stories about beheading babies.”
The host claimed Waters has been the target of “character smears and attacks” – suggesting this is because he has “expressed views that are threatening to people in power.”
The guitarist claimed that accusations of anti-Semitism had surfaced “because they don’t have an answer to the argument.”
He continued: “You cannot defend the State of Israel in the genocide that is taking place in Gaza today, tomorrow and the day after.
The podcast host claimed Waters has been the target of ‘character smears and attacks’ – suggesting this is because he has ‘expressed views that are threatening to people in power’
Mr Rogers (pictured) reportedly pretended to shoot the crowd with an imitation machine gun during his hit songs In The Flesh and Run Like Hell
Many protested outside the 02 Arena ahead of the London gig
“It shows that at least you have a platform and people are listening to it – and it’s one that they (politicians) don’t want people to hear.
Waters reportedly sang in an improvised song that his agent was a “damn Jew,” according to an account by the rocker’s ex-producer in an explosive documentary investigating claims he made anti-Semitic comments.
Ezrin appears in The Dark Side of Roger Waters, a new documentary produced by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) – months after Waters appeared on stage in a Nazi-esque trench coat with a red armband as part of his most recent tour.
Further accusations claimed the documentary made anti-Semitic comments such as “dirty k***” and “Jewish food.”
He is also said to have mocked the grandmother of a Jewish musician who died in the Holocaust.
Speaking about the October 7 invasion on the podcast, he continued: “Let’s wait and see what happens was my first reaction.
“My second reaction was, ‘How on earth did the Israelis not know this was going to happen?’
“And I’m still kind of down that rabbit hole. Didn’t the Israeli army hear the explosions as they blew up everything they had to blow up to cross the border?
A protester outside the O2 Arena before Roger Waters’ performance on June 6
Waters – who said he was “an opponent of the entire Zionist exercise” questioned the atrocities committed by Hamas in the documentary – saying the terrorist organization was “absolutely legally and morally obliged to resist.”
He compared Anne Frank to Abu Akleh, an Al Jazeera journalist who was fatally shot last year while reporting on an Israeli army attack on a Palestinian refugee camp.
“There’s something very strange about that.”
Further accusations against Waters said he wanted a giant floating pig decorated with the Star of David and offensive slogans at his concerts.
In an email, reportedly sent by Waters in 2010, he appears to suggest to his backstage team that the pig should be made with ‘dirty k***’, ‘follow the money’ and ‘scum’ on the sides.
The word “k***” is a notoriously insulting word used to denigrate Jews, while the reference to money is a classic anti-Jewish trope, according to the new film.
The pig was eventually created without these conditions, but with the Star of David and dollar signs, and was a part of Waters’ concerts.
Sir Keir Starmer said his party “completely condemns” Mr Waters for harboring “clearly anti-Semitic views”. The Labor leader suggested the rocker’s shows should be canceled to stop him spreading his ‘disturbing’ beliefs.
Mr Gove, the Leveling Up secretary, claimed the former Pink Floyd bassist ‘failed’ to meet expectations that people with significant public profiles ‘behave responsibly and not abuse their platform’.
It came after the Council of Deputies of British Jews wrote a letter to senior politicians warning of concerns among Jewish communities in cities where the musician is touring.
Gideon Falter, CEO of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said of the documentary: ‘Roger Waters has repeatedly used his enormous platform to lure Jews, but he always claims he is not anti-Semitic.
‘We believed there was further evidence to the contrary, and the release of Roger Waters’ The Dark Side now places the evidence obtained in the hands of the public.
‘Is Roger Waters an anti-Semite? Now people can make their own decision.’
In his concerts and on social media, Waters makes clear his criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, emphasizing that this is his motivation and not any anti-Semitism.
In video clips, repeated in Mr Ware’s new documentary, he says: ‘I’m an anti-Semite? Are you crazy?’ and ‘Obviously I don’t have an anti-Semitic bone in my body; I never did that, I never did anything anti-Semitic; I never said anything anti-Semitic.”
In other clips, Waters says, “The idea that I’m anti-Semitic is ridiculous. This is something that is aimed at anyone who tries to raise their voice against the policies of the current far-right, settler-based Israeli government,” and also, “If we shout the lie loud enough – “Roger Waters is an anti- Israeli Government” -Semite’, we will make the people believe it. Well, no, you don’t, because it’s a lie.’