Jihad Watch

Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Spanish music festival bans Jewish performer for being pro-Israel

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MatisyahuMatisyahu had to endorse “Palestinian” statehood, which would be endorsing the creation of an internationally-sanctioned jihad base for renewed attacks against a diminished Israel, or not perform. And so for Rototom Sunsplash, it’s all out in the open: hate Israel, or go home. In 2013 it emerged that the key, but hidden, reason why Pamela Geller and I were banned from Britain was because we were supporters of Israel. British authorities tried to cover this up: our lawyers requested documents under the UK’s freedom of information law, and among the documents we received as an internal memo of the UK Home Office from one official to another (both names were redacted) directing that the material about our support from Israel be removed from our dossiers, so that people wouldn’t get the impression that we were being barred for supporting Israel. This was sufficient to indicate that our support for Israel did indeed play a large role in the decision to ban us, and that the British authorities knew how bad that would make them look, so they removed almost all the traces of it.

The Rototom Sunsplash organizers had no such compunction. They’re open about their support for the Nazi-like BDS movement. The way the world is going, they clearly don’t think they have to hide it.

“Spanish Concert Org. to Matisyahu: Publicize Your Politics on Palestine or Go Home,” by Jas Chana, Tablet, August 17, 2015 (thanks to Anne Crockett):

Matisyahu, a Jewish-American reggae musician, has been barred from performing at a Spanish music festival because he chose not to outline his position on Palestinian statehood. Matisyahu was booked to perform at the Rototom Sunsplash, a reggae music festival in Spain on August 22. However, according to Reuters, festival organizers heeded to local pressure to cancel his appearance as part of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel. A statement released by the organizers read:

Rototom Sunsplash, after having repeatedly sought dialog in the face of the artist’s unavailability to give a clear statement against war and on the right of the Palestinian people to their own state, has decided to cancel the concert.

Today, Matisyahu posted a response to the controversy on his Facebook page. He said that the festival organizers wanted him “to write a letter, or make a video, stating my positions on Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to pacify the BDS people.” However, Matisyahu refused, on the basis that his music should exist separately from politics. He continued to claim that the organizers were singling him out because he was Jewish:

The festival kept insisting that I clarify my personal views; which felt like clear pressure to agree with the BDS political agenda. Honestly it was appalling and offensive, that as the one publicly Jewish-American artist scheduled for the festival they were trying to coerce me into political statements. Were any of the other artists scheduled to perform asked to make political statements in order to perform? No artist deserves to be put in such a situation simply to perform his or her art. Regardless of race, creed, country, cultural background, etc, my goal is to play music for all people. As musicians that is what we seek. – Blessed Love, Matis

Valencia is reportedly a hotbed of BDS activity. According to Spanish paper El Pais, Matisyahu was branded a “Zionist” complicit in the practices of “apartheid and ethnic cleansing” by local activists. El Pais reported that the festival organizers asked Matisyahu to sign a statement officially endorsing Palestinian statehood.

According to Newsweek, The Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain—an affiliate of the Spanish government—condemned the decision in a statement, describing it as “cowardly, unfair, and discriminatory.” They continued to say that it was “shameful” that taxpayer money funds a festival that endorses BDS….

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Comments

  1. This makes sense. By keeping the Jew out of the concert, Moslems will recognize the good will extended to them and there will be no mass murder Jihad attacks in Spain. Smart move, plus, it is hip nowadays to be an antisemite, so there is no PR penalty to pay.

    • ‘Hip to be an anti-Semite’??? Just as in the good ol’ days of 1933-1945. Spain is still fascist, it seems. Shameful.

      • This horrible case reminds one that Spain’s disgusting history of Jew hating
        lives on.
        Jew hating is very fashionable leftist circles, & it reminds one that Hitler was
        a socialist & that the Communists supported Nazis as fellow socialists as long
        as Hitler had a non aggression pact with Stalin.
        It is, of course,amplified by mohammedans, who cheat in all elections in favour
        of any party that will acknowledge their “victimhood”

        • Marty, I’m Spanish and I couldn’t agree more with what you’re saying. Being pro-Palestine and anti-Israel/anti-Jewish is totally cool, especially, but not exclusively, amongst Spanish youngsters. Not that they would have a clue about the subject; for them it’s enough to demonstrate while wearing Palestinian scarfs and waving Palestinian flags.

          Spain is also on the verge of becoming a country ruled by the extreme left, something which is very likely to happen when the general election is called before the end of the year. Even if it is a left-wing coalition that finally comes to power, I have no doubt the party which will call the shots will be the extreme far left, not the Socialist party (just slightly more moderate). When this happens, the anti-Jewish sentiment will no doubt get much, much worse.

          When it comes to Israel, Palestine or islam, the level of debate in Spain is abysmal. We’re probably uttering the same PC clichés that were a daily occurrence in, say, Britain, about 10 years ago. Our case is more than inexcusable, though, not only because we have a long history of islamic domination from which we seem to have learnt nothing, but also because what’s going on in so many European countries, in this day and age of instant information, should show us what we’re headed for.

        • “…it was “shameful” that taxpayer money funds a festival that endorses BDS….”

          Simple answer to that. Any ‘public’ or government funds should be immediately clawed back, on the grounds of the organizers ‘politicking’. The funds were given for an ‘arts’ or entertainment festival? Give in to this camel’s nose, and who knows what will follow. Does no one recognize the insidious slide in the Olympic Games from the first ‘black power salute’ to the Munich Massacre?

          The government at all levels should recognize that the show organizers have ZERO POWER. Any ‘apparent’ power which they wield is HANDED TO THEM BY THOSE GOVERNMENTS as an initial act of appeasement, where none is required. What if they make some increased demand next year, or just the next festival? It will be easier to genuflect next time. And after three or four such capitulations the demands could be horrific. They might entail something really abhorrent to the government or the indigenes, but ‘nothing can be done’ because of precedents.

          It’s a pity that Jewish organizations cannot field a feisty and knowledgeable lawyer to make that case to the government. By funding that festival with its (now) overt antisemitism, aren’t those government sources making themselves accessories?

      • And Spain, just a few months ago, instituted a “law of return”-any Jews or descendants of Jews who were of Spanish descent could come back, be given citizenship, etc.

        • Methinks they hoped that any Jew stupid enough to take them up on their offer would bring his alleged untold wealth with him.

    • But, am I wrong, or didn’t Muzzies bomb a Spanish train a few years ago and kill scores of people? And, Spain is anti-Semitic and anti_Israel– BUT THEY DON’T HAVE THE BALLS TO DO A GOOD BOYCOTT-OF ISRAELI MADE MEDICINES; CELL PHONE TECHNOLOGY AND PENTIUM CHIP ( WHICH RUNS MOST COMPUTERS).

      Pakistan is probably the most true to the Boycott movement- they even kill polio vaccine workers- because the polio vaccine(s) were developed by Jews.

      In 1492, Isabella basically made the Jews leave- and Spain went into a 450 or so year decline. Now, some Spanish areas (provinces, or large towns-not sure) are trying to be Jew free. (I read somewhere –not sure where). So, perhaps the Spaniards are looking for another multi century decline and being relegated to nothing.

      • OI very few boycotters have the courage to follow it through totally, to the extent of chucking out their computers, mobile phones, anti-virus software, refusing to be treated with Israeli-trialed drugs or to be monitored by Israeli– devised diagnostic software.

        No, cowards that they are, they make a lot of noise instead.

  2. Arab Opinions about the Demographic Unity of ‘Palestine’ and Jordan

    ”Palestine and Transjordan are one, for Palestine is the coastline and Transjordan the hinterland of the same country.” – King Abdullah, at the Meeting of the Arab League, Cairo, 12 April, 1948

    ”We are the Government of Palestine, the army of Palestine and the refugees of Palestine.” – Prime Minister of Jordan, 23 August, 1959
    ”Palestine is Jordan and Jordan is Palestine; there is one people and one land, with one history and one and the same fate.” – Prince Hassan, brother of King Hussein, addressing the Jordanian National Assembly, 2 February, 1970
    ”There is no family on the East Bank of the [Jordan] River that does not have relatives on the West Bank … no family in the west that does not have branches in the east.” – King Hussein, addressing the Jordanian National Assembly, 2 February, 1972

    ”We consider it necessary to clarify to one and all, in the Arab world and outside, that the Palestinian people with its nobility and conscience is to be found here on the East Bank [of the Jordan River], the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Its overwhelming majority is here [on the East Bank] and nowhere else.” – King Hussein, quoted in An-Nahar, Beirut, 24 August, 1972

    ”The Palestinians here constitute not less than one half of the members of the armed forces. They and their brothers, the sons of Transjordan, constitute the members of one family who are equal in everything, in rights and duties.” – King Hussein, on Amman Radio, 3 February, 1973 (quoted by BBC Monitoring Service)

    ”The new Jordan, which emerged in 1949, was the creation of the Palestinians of the West Bank and their brothers in the East. While Israel was the negation of the Palestinian right of self-determination, unified Jordan was the expression of it.” – Sharif Al-Hamid Sharaf, Representative of Jordan at the UN Security Council, 11 June, 1973

     “For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan.”- PLO representative Zouhair Muhsen in 1977, speaking to a Dutch newspaper.

    ”Jordan is not just another Arab state with regard to Palestine but, rather, Jordan is Palestine and Palestine is Jordan in terms of territory, national identity, sufferings, hopes and aspirations, both day and night. Though we are all Arabs and our point of departure is that we are all members of the same people, the Palestinian-Jordanian nation is one and unique, and different from those of the other Arab states.” – Marwan al Hamoud, member of the Jordanian National Consultative Council and former Minister of Agriculture, quoted by Al-Rai, Amman, 24 September, 1980

  3. Spinless bastards to think they fought so hard and long to get Muslims out of spain.

  4. Whole EU is against European people who like their countries …

    Everybody surrenders the Koranderthals !

  5. Yeah.

    The Spanish have this real great track record for human rights.

    Which countries by the way, colonized by Spain. aren’t third world dictatorships?

    There’s just so many I never can remember them all.

  9. These Muslim arse kissing Spanish morons appear to be unaware that Muslims still claim that Spain is THEIR land, just as they claim that Palestine is THEIR land.
    According to these Muslims, the native Iberians that have been living in Spain for 7000 years, are illegally occupying their own country and they should all leave and give Spain back to its rightful Muslim owners.

  10. And who was welcomed into the festival? Reggae ‘musicians’ who advocate killing gays.

  12. “Palestinianism” is the religion of Eurabia.

    Bat Ye’or ” It can be said that present day Europe results from the decisions taken in October 1973 in reaction to PLO terrorism and the OPEC oil boycott of countries friendly to Israel. These two pivotal factors altered Europe’s course and determined its political choices. Alliance with the Arab League included the EC recognized the PLO and agreed to support Arafat…a policy of Muslim immigration in Europe began in line with agreements between the European Commission and the Secretary General of the Arab League…from 1968 to 1971 Palestinian organizations hijacked nearly 15 planes yearly, 50 in 1973. Far from combatting this terrorism, the EEC complied with PLO demands and conferred on Arafat the dignity and legitimacy of a statesman..the EEC adopted a concept of terrorism that exonerated the perpetrators by incriminating the victim–Israel–by means of metaphors such as ‘underlying causes’ and ‘injustice’… Eurabia grew out of a Euro-Arab alliance against Israel, cemented by European support for an Arab policy aimed at Israel’s elimination.” In 1973 Europe closed its air space and bases to American aircraft to prevent them from resupplying Israel, taking sides in the jihad against Israel.

    And so Spain reacted to the 2004 Madrid attacks by subservience to Arab Muslim demands in the wake of Islamic terror, to withdrawing from Iraq and to bow to Arab League demands concerning an “alliance of civilizations” (rapprochement of Islam and the West) favoring Islam in every way to the detriment if not demise of “Western” Europe. This incident at a music festival is simply is another page in the dhimmitude and the new totalitarianism that characterizes Eurabia– and calls for another Reconquista.

  13. A bit of history. During the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, there were many pirates in the Caribbean. .

    One of the most feared was JEAN LAFITTE (possibly spelled wrong).

    He attacked (and sunk and plundered ) MOSTLY SPANISH SHIPS, but also wasn’t thrilled with the British.

    In the War of 1812, he approached the British, and offered his fleet -against the Americans, for a certain amount of money (gold or silver, probably); The British leader (probably General Howe, or his brother, Admiral Howe, (I am not sure) –agreed. Lafitte then took the information to Andrew Jackson, and joined the Americans . ( Lafitte and all of his men were pardoned for this).

    Now, as the late, great radio announcer Harvey would say, the rest of the story.

    Lafitte was Jewish. His family was originally Spanish, and forced out in the 1490’s, and moved to France, across the Pyrenees.However, it seemed that the family was wealthy or wealthier in Spain, then after their forced (modern term) relocation. So jean had a hatred that burned deep. And, he took it out on Spanish ships and sailors- by raiding the ships, looting them and killing the sailors.

      • Oliver and Kepha, this claim comes from Jean Lafitte’s “journal”, where he claims that he is descended from Sephardic Jewish ancestors. Unfortunately, this “journal” is a well-known forgery.

        It’s not impossible that Lafitte had some Jewish heritage, but no proof that he did.

      • Several years ago, on a different Jewish website, a gentleman who was a speaker on cruises was on a flight to the west coast 9of the US) ( from the east coast) and met some Orthodox Jews from (I believe Switzerland). They told him that their last name was Lafitte, and that they were his direct descendants.

        They went on, that he (Jean) had been married a few times, each time to a Jewish woman, and had children ( 1 or more) from/with each.

        The speaker went on, ( with more details, which i no longer have) and said that there is a book ( which i haven’t been able to get in my library) JEWISH PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, which had more details.

        But, Lafitte did attack Spanish ships frequently. And did give General (later President) Jackson help in the War of 1812. (Although the war had officially ended, but nobody knew it).

  14. Didn’t Spain drive the Jews out once before? They don’t exactly have a good track record of being a friend to the Hebrew people.

    • I might come off as crass, but I’ll be frank: That’s like asking “why are you so pro-polish/Anti-Germany?” or “Pro-Chech/Anti-Germany?”. President Obama (Chamerlain) is ready to sell out Isreal(Checklacevakia) to Iran (Nazi Germany). History repeats itself.

      As Graven pointed out, if persecution of Chruches is your yardstick, you’re not using it consistantly, it’s far worse in Muslim nations. No they don’t want to just return to their homes (which you know they because they thought they could return to a Jew-free land, the other Arabs stayed there and are citizens). They want to murder Jews. They say in their charters, in slogans shouted and on their TV programs including aimed at children.

      They don’t get a free pass at all, but in general Conservatives lean towards Israel than Palestine because as Graven says one is a democracy that generally upholds human rights and the other calls for the destruction of a sovereign nation and a people. I highly recommend you take a look at the MEMRI project which documents Palestinian hate media and the kind of trash that goes on their airwaves.

        • Foolster, it’s Czechoslovakia and Czech. The “Cz” is a lot of West Slavic languages is similar to the English “Ch”. The “szcz” you sometimes see in Polish is a little like the “sh Ch” you see is “Fish chowder”.

  15. I admire the important work you do on this site but don’t understand why you are so pro Israel/anti Palestinian? Christian churches continue to be vandalised by settlers and the Palestinians only want to return to the homes they were driven out of in 1948. I have made numerous trips to Jerusalem and am saddened by the way Israelis get a free pass on conservative sites.

    • Jonno wrote:

      I admire the important work you do on this site but don’t understand why you are so pro Israel/anti Palestinian?
      ……………………………….

      Israel is the *only* democracy in the Middle East. It is also the only place where Christians can live without fear of violence, whereas this is *hardly* the case in any Muslim country. Christians are oppressed in every Muslim nation, and are subject to kidnapping, forced conversion, enslavement, use as sex slaves, and out-and-out genocide in many of them.

      Christians are oppressed and brutalized in the “Palestinian Territories”, and are in increasing danger of extinction there.

      Israel is not perfect–nor is any other nation. But if you are unable to tell the difference between civilized Israel and her oppressive Muslim “neighbors”, then you are no Anti-Jihadist.

    • I might come off as crass, but I’ll be frank: That’s like asking “why are you so pro-polish/Anti-Germany?” or “Pro-Chech/Anti-Germany?”. President Obama (Chamerlain) is ready to sell out Isreal(Checklacevakia) to Iran (Nazi Germany). History repeats itself.

      I’ve hear this claim that Isreal gets a free pass form the right a few times from the left-leaning people and Muslims (not saying you are either, but this s where I’ve heard it). The problem is those same people have a hard time condemning clearly HAMAS and the right for Isreal to exist and defend herself.

      As Graven pointed out, if persecution of Chruches is your yardstick, you’re not using it consistantly, it’s far worse in Muslim nations. No they don’t want to just return to their homes (which you know they because they thought they could return to a Jew-free land, the other Arabs stayed there and are citizens). They want to murder Jews. They say in their charters, in slogans shouted and on their TV programs including aimed at children.

      They don’t get a free pass at all, but in general Conservatives lean towards Israel than Palestine because as Graven says one is a democracy that generally upholds human rights and the other calls for the destruction of a sovereign nation and a people. I highly recommend you take a look at the MEMRI project which documents Palestinian hate media and the kind of trash that goes on their airwaves.

    • Jonno posted:

      “I admire the important work you do on this site but don’t understand why you are so pro Israel/anti Palestinian?”

      Probably something to do with one being a democratic state and the other being a sponsor of terrorism hellbent on wiping out the democratic state…

      “Christian churches continue to be vandalised by settlers and the Palestinians only want to return to the homes they were driven out of in 1948.”

      How many “palestinians” were allegedly “driven out of their homes” in 1948 and how many call for right of return now?

  17. Spanish music festival bans Jewish performer for being pro-Israel
    …………………….

    Don’t the idiots at Rototom Sunsplash realize that if Islam is again fully resurgent in Spain that such music festivals will be banned?

    More:

    …after having repeatedly sought dialog in the face of the artist’s unavailability to give a clear statement against war and on the right of the Palestinian people to their own state, has decided to cancel the concert.
    …………………….

    “Against war”–what crap. War in the form of a genocidal Jihad against Israel is fine. The only war they condemn is any defense against attack by Jews.

    And the idea that Matisyahu is not for peace is ludicrous. Here’s “One Day”, his anthem for world peace:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmBChQjZPs

    But Matisyahu also dares to sing about love and healing from God in Judaism in his song “King Without a Crown”:

  18. So many performers have mistakenly thought that their ill-informed idea (about something that touches people up close and personal) must be inflicted on their audience. We finally have a guy who knows he should stick to what he is good at and the venue organizers force this? Doesn’t this violate any laws? (Besides the laws of common sense courtesy. )

  19. For a second I thought Newsweek was condemning it, then I re-read and saw it was the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain, and looked out the window and saw Pigs were indeed not flying.

  20. Looks like Spain is right in line to be conquered and occupied again by Islam. I think they are on the ISIS map.

    I had a friend from Spain and his son went every year for the summer. He would come back calling you a Jew if he was mad because he had learned that as a big insult in Spain. Took him a few weeks to get over it. Deeply ingrained anti-Jewish feelings in Spain as a society.

    Enjoy your freedom to wear what you like…soon you will be wearing those boring burkas.

  22. “Honest Reporting” has a lead story today (Aug. 19th) that he ( Matisyahu ) was re-invited.

  23. What do we expect? Since the 1700’s, foolish, so-called “enlightened” thinkers have been lauding Islamic “tolerance” and decrying Christian “intolerance”–with a snide aside on how Judaism introduced the element of “fanaticism” into human life. Hence, Islam has gotten a pass from the Left for a very long time.