By Tim Staskiewicz
Roger Waters has been an outspoken critic of the Israeli government for many years, dating back to the Pink Floyd bassist’s trip to the West Bank in 2006.
It was during that visit that Waters spray painted “We don’t need no thought control,” a lyric from Another Brick In The Wall on an Israeli West Bank wall.
Since then, he has attempted to bring other musical artists and acts to his cause, to join his cultural boycott of the country. Most recently, Waters reached out to Bon Jovi, asking them not to play a scheduled show in Tel Aviv on Saturday (October 3)
When it came to Jon Bon Jovi, Waters’ pleas fell on deaf ears.
“Yes, I heard about that but it doesn’t interest me,” Bon Jovi told an Israeli magazine. “I told my managers to give one simple answer: That I’m coming to Israel and I’m excited to come.”
Those comments to Yediot Aharonot, have prompted Waters to comment publicly himself.
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In a scathing open letter published on Salon.com, the Pink Floyd member reaches out to Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, and Tico Torres directly.
“So the die is cast, you are determined to proceed with your gig in Tel Aviv on October 3,” Waters writes. “You are making your stand. You stand shoulder to shoulder with the settler who burned the baby.”
Waters’ letter goes on to list additional examples and admonishes the band, telling them they had the chance to stand on the side of justice.
“The dead can’t remind you of the crimes you’ve ignored,” Waters concludes. “But, lest we forget, ‘To stand by silent and indifferent is the greatest crime of all.'”
Meanwhile Bon Jovi is on record with the magazine, saying how excited his is to be visiting and touring Israel.
“There are few places in the world that I haven’t been, Israel is one of them,” Bon Jovi says. “So I’m thrilled to be coming. We want to stay for a few days and see as much as possible.”
