WATCH: Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder launches anti-Israel diatribe during concert
Famed rocker denounces “those who go across borders and take over land that doesn’t belong to them.”
By JPOST.COM STAFFPearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder(photo credit: REUTERS) (Remarks begin at 4:10 mark)Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder unleashed a harsh anti-Israel diatribe on stage during his band’s concert at Milton Keynes Bowl in England on Friday.In a video clip posted on YouTube, Vedder begins to address the tens of thousands of spectators in attendance in the middle of his band’s rendition of the hit song “Daughter.”“What the f---? What the f---?” Vedder said, alternately taking sips of wine from a bottle he was holding on stage. “We can have this many people having a peaceful time. We can have modern technology. We can reach our friends. We know what they’re thinking before they’re thinking it. The advertisers know what we’re thinking before we’re thinking it. We have technology – all this in our hands.”“At the same time that something this positive is happening, not even that far away, people are f---ing dropping bombs on each other.”Although he never explicitly mentions Israel by name, Vedder denounces “those who go across borders and take over land that doesn’t belong to them.”“I swear to f---ing god, there are people out there who are looking for a reason to kill,” the famed American rocker said. “They’re looking for a reason to go across borders and take over land that doesn’t belong to them. They should get the f---out, and mind their own f---ing business.”“We don’t want to give them our money. We don’t want to give them our taxes to drop bombs on children.”It was this point that Vedder began belting out lyrics from Edwin Starr’s pacifist anthem, “War.”
Vedder’s remarks drew a sharp rebuke from Israeli fans of Pearl Jam who had launched a social media campaign aimed at bringing the band here to perform a show.Ben Red, a rock disc jockey for Israel Radio’s music station 88FM and one of the campaign’s organizers, denounced Vedder on his Facebook page.“Eddie Vedder, your true face is finally being revealed,” Red wrote. “You are invited not to come here. I personally do not want to see you, and I will erase the Facebook page calling on bringing [Pearl Jam] to Israel, but not before I expose who you really are.”
