Agencies-Gaza post
Big Thief reneges upcoming concerts in “Israel” over its occupation of Palestine
Big Thief, an American indie rock band, has pulled out of two forthcoming live concerts in Israel and apologized for the “recklessness and naivete” of a declaration they had formerly shared defending the booking.
The band’s determination to play two shows in Tel Aviv in July has been the subject of a frenzied debate over the weekend with multiple social media users calling the band out for apparently neglecting the BDS cultural boycott of Israel.
In a declaration shared on Thursday, Big Thief walked back on its prior decision and affirmed it will no longer be playing in Israel next month. “Our intent in wanting to play the shows in Tel Aviv, where Max was born, raised, and currently lives, stemmed from a simple belief that music can heal,” the band stated.
“We now recognize that the shows we had booked do not honor that sentiment.” They added, “We oppose the illegal occupation and the systematic oppression of the Palestinian people.”
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) has accommodated the band’s decision, saying, “We salute Big Thief’s courage and their willingness to listen to the oppressed.”
