"How can I tour in Israel knowing Palestinian artists are denied the right to travel?" That’s the question Tunde Adebimpe, lead singer of TV on the Radio, poses in a new video produced by Adalah-NY, a New York nonprofit that opposes Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories. Released as a part of the 10-year-old Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS Movement), the video also features, among others, Adebimpe’s bandmate Kyp Malone, ex-Das Racist member Kool A.D. and singer-composer Tamar-kali. The artists cite Palestinian cultural figures who have had their travel restricted by Israel, map out the purpose of BDS, and declare their endorsement of the movement. From a November 17 Adalah-NY press statement:
The Israeli government launched a Brand Israel public relations campaign in 2006, which attempts to use art and music to distract attention from Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights. Nonetheless, a growing number of artists have declined to perform or participate in cultural events in Israel or with institutions complicit with Israeli rights abuses, including Ms. Lauryn Hill, Roger Waters, Elvis Costello, Santana, Talib Kweli, the late Gil Scott Heron, Cassandra Wilson, Cat Power, Stevie Wonder, Mira Nair, Ken Loach, Alice Walker, Mike Leigh, Arundhati Roy, and Jean Luc Godard.
Check out the new video above.