Radiohead frontman says he won’t return to ‘Israel’ under Netanyahu’s government

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has ruled out ever performing in ‘Israel’ while the current government is in power, marking a reversal of the band’s controversial 2017 decision to play in Tel Aviv.

In an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, Yorke was unequivocal when asked about a future gig, stating, "Absolutely not. I wouldn't want to be 5,000 miles anywhere near the Netanyahu regime".

This follows a statement by the artist released in May, where he described Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration as "extremists" who "need to be stopped".

The refusal stands in stark contrast to Radiohead's 2017 performance at Yarkon Park, a gig the band defended despite immense pressure from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Yorke has now expressed regret over that show, recalling he was "horrified, truly," when a "clearly connected high up" ‘Israeli’ official thanked him at his hotel.

This experience, he said, made him realize "the gig was being hijacked" for political purposes.

Yorke’s stance follows a period of intense public pressure on the band.

In 2023, the singer briefly walked off stage during a solo concert in Melbourne after a pro-Palestinian heckler confronted him about the situation in Gaza.

He later confessed that his subsequent silence "allowed other opportunistic groups to use intimidation and defamation" and took a "heavy toll on my mental health".

The issue comes amid a deep ideological rift within Radiohead itself, primarily with guitarist Jonny Greenwood, whose wife is ‘Israeli’.

Greenwood maintains his rejection of boycotts, arguing that "Boycotts only strengthen the government, which uses them to say that everyone hates us and therefore we can do whatever we want. That's far more dangerous".

This division led to a raw exchange during the band's interview, where Yorke reportedly told his bandmate, "You're whitewashing genocide, mate”.

Drummer Phil Selway noted the position the band faces, stating, "What the BDS movement is asking of us is impossible. They want us to distance ourselves from Jonny, but that would mean ending the band".