It is universally acknowledged that Pink Floyd are Palestine’s biggest fans and the conflict’s most well-heard activists. Roger Waters himself is part of the BDS movement. The band’s official Facebook page has posted this last night:
The band left us all wondering, is this just another statement of solidarity or are they willing to perform something in support?
A couple of days ago, a boat under the title, Women’s Boat for Gaza, arrived at Gazan shores to find itself in “illegal” detention by the Israeli Navy. Sponsored by the Freedom Flotilla, the boat carried activists from Barcelona aiming to highlight the undeniable contributions and indomitable spirit of Palestinian women who have been central within the Palestinian struggle in Gaza, the West Bank, inside the Green Line and in the diaspora. Not only that it seeks to challenge the Israeli blockade, but to also show solidarity and bring a message of hope to the Palestinian people.
Out of the 13 women on board, two journalists were released and have been deported to London and Moscow. According to their early reports, the boat, Zaytouna-Oliva, was surrounded by two warships along with four to five smaller naval boats. The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) demanded that the Zaytouna-Oliva stop its course towards Gaza. When the warning was refused, at least seven IOF members, both male and female, boarded our yacht and commandeered it in international waters.
The rest of the women were held captive in Givon Prison but were moved to a detention facility at Ben-Gurion airport yesterday.
“The Women’s Boat to Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition will continue to sail until Palestine is free,” they announced on their website.
Pink Floyd’s activism on Palestinian rights has all started 10 years ago, when they were about to perform a concert in Tel Aviv. “It was very strange performing to a completely segregated audience because there were no Palestinians there. There were just 60,000 Jewish Israelis, who could not have been more welcoming, nice and loyal to Pink Floyd. Nevertheless, it left an uncomfortable feeling.” Waters told the Independent.
This made him want to travel around the West Bank towns of Jenin, Ramallah and Nablus. Seeing how segregated both communities were, Pink Floyd’s lead vocal’s political stand was instantly shaped. He also visited the security barrier separating Palestinian territories from the ones Israelis took as their homes, where he sprayed some of his own lyrics like “another brick in the wall,” and “we don’t need no thought control.”
WE SAID THIS: We love you, Pink Floyd.