Over 400 artists join cultural boycott of Israel over Gaza war

More than 400 international artists have joined a new cultural initiative calling for their music to be removed from Israeli digital streaming platforms, in protest against what they describe as ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The Hebrew daily Haaretz reported on Thursday that the artists signed a petition under the campaign title No Music for Genocide. 

The petition urges the withdrawal of their work from Israeli platforms in response to the war in Gaza.

The list includes prominent names such as British band Massive Attack, Scottish group Primal Scream, and American indie act Japanese Breakfast, as well as US singer-songwriter Carole King, Japanese pop star Rina Sawayama, and Danish artist MO.

In a statement on Thursday, the organisers said the aim is to put pressure on major record labels such as Sony, Universal, and Warner to support the campaign, “similar to their previous decision to halt music distribution in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.”

The statement added: “Culture can’t stop bombs on its own, but it can help reject political repression, shift public opinion toward justice, and refuse the art-washing and normalization of any company or nation that commits crimes against humanity.”

According to the organisers, the initiative is part of a wider global movement seeking to reduce the international backing that Israel relies on to continue its war on Gaza.

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