Pink Floyd's Roger Waters slams Scarlett Johansson, Neil Young for Israel ties

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters slams actress Scarlett Johansson and Canadian Rock singer Neil Young for not supporting the cultural boycott of Israel for their on going occupation of the West bank and for their discriminatory policies toward the Palestinians.

Ed Corrigan

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Writing in personal letters and on his Facebook account, former Pink Floyd front-man and songwriter Roger Waters has accused both singer Neil Young and actress Scarlett Johansson of supporting Israel and neglecting human rights.

Neil Young is scheduled to appear in Israel this July while Johansson has recently signed on as Israeli company Soda Stream's spokeswoman amid controversy over the company's factory in Mishor Adumim, in the West Bank.

Waters wrote that he met Johansson over a year ago at a music event where he was impressed by her commitment to human rights and justice. However, he considers her recentresignation from Oxfam, an organization that fights poverty and injustice, "an about-face."

Roger Waters goes on to cite several alleged human rights abuses by Israel, including political discrimination against Beduin communities in the South and citizens who are not Jewish.

He also points out that many of the workers in Soda Stream's Mishor Adumim factory are residents of the West Bank and as such they do not enjoy Israeli citizenship.

Rogers has been a long supporter of the campaign for boycott and divestment against Israel and has accused the country of being an "apartheid state."