Over the course of many years, Roger Waters, the lead singer of Pink Floyd, has become one of the most prominent figures associated with the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement and a vocal critic of Israel. He has also faced accusations of harboring blatant antisemitic views. In a recent interview published last weekend, Waters made controversial statements regarding the events of October 7th, alleging that the Israeli authorities had exaggerated and even fabricated stories about the beheading of babies.
Waters claimed, "The events of October 7th were completely blown out of proportion by the Israelis, who invented stories about beheading babies." He went further by suggesting that these false narratives had reached the President of the United States, whom he described as a "madman," and that the President had publicly claimed to have seen photographs of babies with their heads cut off. Waters added, "We don't know if we'll ever hear the truth about what happened; it's always hard to know what really transpired. They call it 'Their 9/11.' What exactly happened on 9/11? The official story has many unanswered questions."
Roger Waters, you have to be a real nasty human being for saying that Israel is "making up stories".
— Noy Hilda (@NoyHilda) November 7, 2023
Each person you see in this video, murdered by #HamasTerrorists, have family and friends who are in an unimaginable pain.
Your late father must be so disappointed with you. pic.twitter.com/fA7tosTNXb
This controversial interview took place on the internet program SYSTEM UPDATE, hosted by journalist Glenn Greenwald. Notably, Greenwald, who comes from Jewish heritage but has distanced himself from religious affiliations over the years, did not challenge Waters' statements and, in some instances, appeared to align with them. At the beginning of their conversation, the two discussed their skepticism regarding the reliability of the Israeli account of events. Waters questioned, "How did the Israelis not anticipate this incident? Didn't the Israeli army detect any suspicious activity aimed at breaching the border? There's something highly suspicious about it." Greenwald reinforced Waters' skepticism by mentioning that an Israeli member of the Knesset had claimed it was one of the most heavily monitored places on Earth.
When asked if he could justify Hamas's actions on that Saturday morning, Waters responded, "We don't know all the details, but can their resistance to the occupation be justified? Yes, according to the Geneva Convention. They have had a legal and moral obligation to resist the occupation since 1967; it's a duty. However, if war crimes were committed, I unequivocally condemn them, regardless of who committed them."
Regarding allegations of war crimes by Hamas, Waters stated, "There might have been isolated incidents. They have released data on the number and identity of casualties, and it appears that the first 400 casualties were Israeli soldiers, which would not constitute a war crime."
Antisemite @rogerwaters justifies Hamas's October 7 massacre and denies atrocities committed by Hamas.
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) November 7, 2023
People like Waters keep proving hatred truly has no limits. pic.twitter.com/IlJ2O8vg73
Waters also addressed claims that his stance on Israel is rooted in antisemitism. He drew a clear distinction between his platform and the Israeli government, stating, "The fundamental difference between my perspective and the Israeli government's stance lies in my belief in equal human rights for all people worldwide, regardless of their origin, religion, or nationality. The Israeli government, on the other hand, does not uphold this principle. In what they refer to as 'The Holy Land,' Jews are granted a different set of rights compared to others, and this fundamental inequity is deeply ingrained. That's why my message centers around the question, 'Do you believe in the idea of ​​equality for all people or not?' Because as soon as you deviate from that principle, you are, in essence, a Nazi."
