A fundraising concert under the banner ‘Together for Palestine’ is taking place next month at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, helmed by longtime Israel critic Brian Eno.
All proceeds from the concert will be donated to the Choose Love charity to provide humanitarian relief in Gaza, according to a report in Billboard.
Eno, a famed British producer and electronic music pioneer who has worked extensively with U2, will MC the show.
Making a statement for humanity
“In the face of the horrors of Gaza, silence becomes complicity. Artists have always helped societies to point out injustice and imagine better futures,” he said in a statement announcing the lineup for the show. “That’s why this concert matters. It’s time for us to come together – not just to raise our voices, but to reaffirm our shared humanity.”
Nowhere in the statement or in any of the movement’s announcements are the hostages being held by Hamas mentioned, nor the role of Hamas in creating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The most high-profile name on the bill will be Damon Albarn, best known as the leader of 90s Britpop giants Blur and the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual band Gorillaz. Joining him will be pop songstress Pink Pantheress and DJ Jamie XX, as well as Palestinian artists Adnan Joubran, Faraj Suleiman, and Nai Barghouti.
Upon announcing the event on July 31, Eno said that “when dozens of non-partisan organizations like Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders describe it as genocide, the moral line is clear. We can’t remain silent.”
Earlier in July, Eno was part of a coalition of musicians, including Kneecap, Fontaines D.C., and Massive Attack, who had spoken out against the war in Gaza and, in their words, had been subject to “aggressive, vexatious campaigns” by pro-Israel advocates.