'Death to the IDF' is not antisemitic. Reserve your outrage for Israeli crimes in Gaza | Joe Gill скачать в хорошем качестве

'Death to the IDF' is not antisemitic. Reserve your outrage for Israeli crimes in Gaza | Joe Gill

Joe Gill, an editor at Middle East Eye, says that rapper Bobby Vylan sparked a media storm after leading Glastonbury crowds in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death to the IDF.” While festivalgoers joined in, politicians, the BBC, and right-wing media quickly accused him of hate speech. Gill notes that the chant “did not call for the death of Israelis,” despite headlines claiming otherwise. “He called for the death of a killing machine,” the Israeli army, which Gill reminds watchers has been accused of genocide and has killed more than 18,000 children. Vylan, a punk artist, was expressing rage at “the hypocrisy and bigotry of society” and the UK’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Gill says that this outrage is selective. “No one was hurt by the chant. Except perhaps BBC executives,” he adds, contrasting the media uproar over Vylan’s words with silence on the Israeli army’s conduct. He cites Israeli soldiers who admitted to Haaretz that they were ordered to fire “with everything imaginable” at unarmed Palestinians seeking food, with one stating, “There’s no enemy, no weapons.” Gill says that millions around the world are disgusted and outraged by what has been documented in Gaza, but that “our political ruler put the protection of Israel above international law.” Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy condemned the BBC for airing Vylan’s performance, but has remained silent on “the actual massacres” committed by the Israeli army. Gill argues that Vylan’s punishment, cancelled tour dates, a police investigation, and a revoked US visa are part of “a huge distraction exercise from the genocide taking place right now.” He concludes that “the IDF doesn’t need protection from a punk poet at Glastonbury. It needs to face accountability for its crimes.” Catch MEE LIVE, our new biweekly live news programme, where we take a look at the news shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis and hard-hitting interviews. MEE LIVE: Tuesday & Thursday | 12pm ET | 5pm BST | Join the conversation at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks:    / @middleeasteye   Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok:   / middleeasteye   Follow us on Instagram:   / middleeasteye   Like us on Facebook:   / middleeasteye   Follow us on Twitter:   / middleeasteye