JERUSALEM: More than 400 singers and artists worldwide have joined a cultural boycott of Israel, vowing to pull their music from the country’s digital streaming platforms in protest against what they describe as the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Fueled by harrowing images of starving Palestinian children and relentless bombardment, the campaign — launched under the banner “No Music for Genocide” — seeks to pressure Israel through cultural resistance, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported Friday, citing Israeli daily Haaretz.
Images of Palestinians — especially children — suffering from hunger amid Israel’s continuing attacks on Gaza have fueled growing global outrage and calls for action.
According to Haaretz, the initiative, launched under the slogan “No Music for Genocide,” urges artists to withdraw their works from Israeli platforms as a form of protest.
Signatories include prominent names such as British band Massive Attack, Scottish group Primal Scream, and American indie act Japanese Breakfast, as well as US singer-songwriter Carole King, Japanese pop star Rina Sawayama, and Danish artist MO.
In a statement released by the campaign organizers, the boycott seeks to pressure major record labels — including Sony, Universal, and Warner — to follow the example they set after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by taking similar steps against Israel.
“Culture can’t stop bombs on its own,” the statement read.
“But it can help reject political repression, shift public opinion toward justice, and refuse the art-washing and normalization of any company or nation that commits crimes against humanity.”
The boycott is part of a broader wave of protests and cultural, sports, and artistic actions around the world opposing Israel’s continued offensive in Gaza.
