The scheduled UK concerts of Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead, The Smile) and Dudu Tassa for June 23 in Bristol and June 25 in London have been canceled. No official explanation has been released, but the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI-BDS) announced the cancellations, implying they resulted from pro-Palestinian activist pressure.
“Palestinians welcome the cancellation of the concerts,” PACBI-BDS wrote on X, describing the events as acts of “whitewashing” what it called Israel’s genocide in Gaza and colonial apartheid regime. In another post, they labeled the shows “artwashing”—a term referring to the use of cultural events to sanitize or distract from controversial political actions.
The controversy is not new for the duo. Tassa, an Israeli artist, has previously performed for Israeli soldiers. Greenwood, married to Israeli artist Sharona Katan, has rejected past BDS calls to cancel performances in Tel Aviv. In late 2024, both participated in a rally supporting the release of hostages held by Hamas and calling for new Israeli elections.
Responding to criticism, Greenwood stated that “a project bringing Arab and Jewish musicians together is meaningful” and rejected efforts to silence Israeli artists simply for being Israeli. He argued that artists are often the most progressive voices in their societies, and cultural boycott campaigns risk suppressing the very people striving for understanding.
The case reignites the debate over artistic freedom versus political activism. PACBI-BDS is now calling for a broader boycott of The Smile and Radiohead unless Greenwood publicly distances himself.