If you believe in human rights, Madonna, do not play Tel Aviv | Roger Waters | Opinion

MAcceptance of an invitation to perform in Tel Aviv at the Eurovision Song Contest final in May once again raises fundamental ethical and political issues that each of us may consider.

In Paris, in 1948, the nascent United Nations developed and subsequently adopted a Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrined in international law all the brothers and sisters of the whole world, without distinction of ethnic group, religion or religion. nationality or religion. including, but not limited to, the right to life, liberty and self-determination.

The question that each of us should ask ourselves is therefore: Am I in agreement with the United Nations Declaration?

If your answer to this question is yes, then a second question arises: am I ready to defend my support for human rights and act accordingly? Will I help my brothers and sisters in their fight for human rights or will I cross and walk on the other side?

In the context of the ongoing conversation about the location of the Eurovision finals and the participation of Madonna and other performers, the brothers and sisters in question are the Palestinian people who live under a deeply repressive apartheid regime and does not enjoy the right to life, liberty and self-determination.

In 2004, Palestinian civil society appealed to the rest of the world and set up a cultural picket line that invited artists to refrain from performing in Israel until the end of the year. that the Israeli government recognize the right of Palestinians to take care of themselves. -determination. Since then, I answered their call and did everything I could to persuade others to do the same.

Some of my fellow musicians who have recently performed in Israel say that they do it to build bridges and promote the cause of peace. Bullshit. Playing in Israel is a lucrative business, but it serves to normalize the occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, the imprisonment of children, the killing of unarmed protesters … all that is bad.

By the way, because I support human rights and criticize the Israeli government for its violations, I am regularly accused of being anti-Semitic. This accusation can be used as a smokescreen to distract and discredit those who shed light on the crimes against humanity perpetrated by Israel. I wish to emphasize that I support the struggle for the human rights of all oppressed peoples around the world. The religion of the oppressor is neither here nor there. If I support the Rohingyas and deplore the persecution they suffered in May, that does not make me anti-Buddhist.

I am convinced that the future of the human race will depend largely on our ability to develop empathy with others, not our ability to oppress and control them. We can not afford to regress in the dark era, when it might just be right. We are better than that, is not it?

I guess I ask everyone involved in what I consider to be Eurovision's betrayal of common humanity to focus on their ability to empathize with their Palestinian brothers and sisters. Try to put yourself in this place. Try to imagine, for 70 years, generation after generation, wake up every morning in front of the systematic and rampant plunder of the life of your people. And they, who kept their heads high and resisted with great courage, courage and grace, asked us for help, "bleeding hearts and artists". We all, in my opinion, have the absolute obligation, as human beings, to answer their call.

My mother, in her maternal attempts to guide me in my youth, was in the habit of saying, "Roger, in a given situation, there is almost always a good thing to do; think carefully, whatever it is, consider all points of view, then decide for yourself what to do and do it. "

I urge all young candidates – in fact, all young people, in fact all, young and old, including Madonna – to read the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. It has been translated into 500 languages ​​so that everyone can learn about its 30 articles. If we all respect them, we could still save our beautiful planet from its imminent destruction.

• Roger Waters is a founding member of rock band Pink Floyd