Wolf Alice on Israel boycott: “The Palestine situation has affected all of us"

Wolf Alice have explained their decision to join the cultural boycott of Israel amid the conflict with Palestine.

Far Out reported that Wolf Alice had joined a handful of musicians that have all refused to play live in Israel. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement are campaigning in various forms of non-violent measures against Israel until it complies with the precepts of international law. Huge names such as Roger Waters, Portishead, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Thurston Moore, Fat White Family and actors Mark Ruffalo and John Cusack have joined the boycott.

“As long as the Israeli government commits war crimes against the Palestinian people we support their call for a boycott of Israel as a means of peaceful protest against a brutal and bloody occupation. #ArtistsForPalestine,” Wolf Alice wrote in a statement.

Now, discussing their decision to boycott Israel, the band’s guitarist Joff Oddie elaborated on their stance while performing at BBC Radio 1’s Biggest Weekend: “The situation has affected all of us. It’s affected us seeing what has happened in recent years”, Oddie told NME.

Backing calls for musical acts to boycott Israel, he said: “You have to listen, you have to listen to the minorities that are being afflicted in those situations to see what they want and they’re calling for a boycott, so we choose to support that.

“I trust the movement, it’s got strong goals and that’s definitely a part of it. You have to put social and economic pressure on the state of Israel to change.”

Meanwhile, Patti Smith, the Libertines and Thurston Moore are the leading names have also announced plans to perform the ‘Hoping for Palestine’ charity show taking place in London.