If you’re concerned about what veteran Irish rockers U2 think about the current geopolitical upheavals in the Middle East, particularly regarding the future of a stand-alone Palestinian state, you can rest easy. The band has released a statement addressing the issue.
U2 specifically mentioned Israel and Gaza, stating that the conflict has now reached “uncharted territory.” They aimed to provide their fans with a clear and unfiltered view of the band’s political position.
In a joint message posted on U2’s website and social media on Sunday, the band wrote:
“Everyone has long been horrified by what is unfolding in Gaza — but the blocking of humanitarian aid and now plans for a military takeover of Gaza City has taken the conflict into uncharted territory. We are not experts in the politics of the region, but we want our audience to know where we each stand.”
Variety reported that each member of the band — Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. — then penned individual statements expressing their emotions about the long-running conflict in the Middle East.
In his statement, frontman Bono acknowledged the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people with 251 hostages being taken, writing “the rape, murder, and abduction of Israelis at the Nova music festival was evil.”
Bono’s position is another effort by him to insert himself into global political matters. However, he added as time went on in the Middle East, “Israel’s revenge for the Hamas attack appeared more and more disproportionate and disinterested in the equally innocent civilian lives in Gaza.”
“Hamas release the hostages. Stop the war. Israel be released from Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts.”
“As someone who has long believed in Israel’s right to exist and supported a two-state solution, I want to make clear—to anyone who cares to listen—our band’s condemnation of Netanyahu’s immoral actions,” writes Bono.
