Roger Waters Is Undermining the Cause He Claims to Support

Additional claims of prejudice against Jewish people made by past colleagues have further weakened the support for Palestinian causes advocated by the bassist of Pink Floyd.

Roger Waters has repeatedly denied allegations of antisemitism, but those who have worked with him in the past, such as acclaimed producer Bob Ezrin, have a conflicting perspective on the matter.

A recent film, called "The Dark Side of Roger Waters", features allegations from David Ezrin and ex-Waters saxophonist Norbert Stachel. Both individuals identify as Jewish and both claim that Waters made insulting comments toward Jewish people in their presence. The movie, which was made by Campaign Against Antisemitism in the United Kingdom, lasts for 37 minutes and also reveals screenshots of an email Waters wrote to his team back in 2010. The email proposes that his signature inflatable pig bears a Star of David and derogatory terms such as "dirty k***."

Waters has been accused of being antisemitic before, but this time is different because people close to him have come forward with specific examples of him belittling Jewish people. Bob Ezrin, who produced The Wall, remembered Waters creating a song about their ex-agent Bryan Morrison where the last line was "Cause Morry is a fucking Jew". Ezrin was concerned that there might be some antisemitism hidden beneath the surface.

Stachel had a different account of an incident involving Waters. He alleged that during a vegetarian meal, Waters became agitated and exclaimed, "Enough! Enough! Where's the meat? What's the deal with this? This is food for Jewish people! Take it away!"

More importantly, Stachel revealed that he informed Waters of his ancestry as an Ashkenazi Jew, and disclosed how some of his relatives were killed during the Holocaust. Waters then supposedly transformed this sensitive information into an inappropriate skit. Stachel recounted how Waters offered to introduce him to his deceased grandmother by impersonating a Polish peasant. Stachel described Waters' portrayal as demeaning and offensive, mimicking the speech and mannerisms of an uneducated and unsophisticated individual.

Stachel expressed, "It really struck me when he said, 'Now that you've met your grandmother, how do you feel?'"

A spokesperson for Waters did not promptly respond to a inquiry for a statement.

A great deal of the documentary revisits common claims that Waters is anti-Semitic due to his strong support of Palestine and opposition to the Israeli occupation, which has been documented for a long time. However, Waters himself denies that his criticisms of Israel and Palestine make him anti-Semitic. He has stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that he has no issue with Jewish individuals. He said, "I am 100% not anti-Semitic. There are a lot of people who try to defame me by saying that I am anti-Semitic, but that is simply not true."

Waters is at the center of a continuing argument about the definition of antisemitism. Some people view his opposition to Zionism and advocacy of causes such as the BDS movement as intrinsically antisemitic. Additionally, Waters' controversial choice of costume, which resembles a Nazi uniform, and his use of inflatable pigs embellished with religious icons only add to the controversy. However, some people argue that equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism is an attempt to restrict valid critiques of Israel and its treatment of Palestinians, particularly when delivered by someone as vocal as Waters.

When looking at Waters' views on Israel, people can interpret them in different ways. Some see him as a vocal supporter who sometimes makes mistakes, while others see him as a vocal bigot who always makes mistakes. Personally, I tend to view him as the former, but that's not because of anything specific he's said or done. As someone who grew up as an American Jew with a strong education about the Holocaust, I am able to recognize oppressive systems when I see them. I believe that the Israeli settlements and displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as the forced evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, are examples of this oppression. I appreciate that Waters uses his platform to raise awareness about these issues in mainstream circles.

I also acknowledge the ways in which he has undermined his own efforts. It's disappointing to hear about new accusations from Ezrin and Stachel that align with Waters' habit of using language that hints at derogatory stereotypes, conspiracy theories, and tropes about Jewish people. For example, in a 2013 interview with CounterPunch, he commented, "The Jewish lobby is extremely powerful, especially in the music industry and rock 'n' roll, as they say." Additionally, in 2022, he used the word "cabal" when referring to early Jewish settlers who arrived in the Israel-Palestine region.

Although Waters supports Palestine, he may not be the best advocate due to his flaws. It's not necessarily best for him to stay quiet, but some reflection on his actions would be wise. With Israel's current government leaning towards authoritarianism and more people becoming cognizant of the atrocities in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, we need advocates who are dedicated and have clear vision. It's important to have people who haven't made hurtful jokes about Jews in the past.