Tom Morello says there’s “no room for Anti-Semitism” when criticising “horrific war crimes in Gaza”

13 November, 2023

Tom Morello, guitarist of the rap metal group, Rage Against the Machine and former member of Audioslave, greets the press during his arrival at an official event with international dignitaries to commemorate the 50th anniversary of military coup of 1973 on September 11, 2023 in Santiago, Chile. (Photo by Sebastián Vivallo Oñate/Agencia Makro/Getty Images)

Tom Morello has said that there is “no room for Anti-Semitism” when criticising “horrific war crimes in Gaza”.

The Rage Against The Machine guitarist took to his official X/Twitter page to speak up on the current Israel-Hamas war. “Important to remember the horrific war crimes in Gaza aren’t being done by “the Jews” but rather by a particular murderous right-wing Israeli administration,” he tweeted on November 13.

He continued: “Many brave Jews in Israel & abroad condemn the slaughter. Our fight is against oppression. No room for antisemitism.”

This is not the first time the musician has spoken out about the current conflict. Last month, Morello called for the condemnation of harm to all children “no matter who they are” after Jamie Lee Curtis deleted a photo of Palestinians.

The actress was recently criticised after sharing a photo from Gaza in a post supporting Israel and then deleting it.

Journalist Muhammad Shehada posted the photo on his X/Twitter account with the caption: ”Cognitive Dissonance: Jamie Lee Curtis was deeply moved by this picture ONLY when she thought they were Israeli. As soon as she learned they were Gazan, she lost all feelings for them & deleted the picture. Suddenly, “terror from the sky” became acceptable to her & her likes!”

Morello reposted the journalist’s tweet and said: “I’d like to make the radical proposal that the harming of children, no matter who they are & no matter who does it, is always wrong and should be condemned.”

He continued in another tweet that read: “Similarly, WAR CRIMES committed by any person, any organization or any government (yours, mine, friend or foe) must be denounced and the responsible parties held accountable.”
Tom Morello attends the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on November 03, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame )
Tom Morello attends the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on November 03, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame )
At the time of writing, the latest death toll stands at 11,240 Palestinians and at least 1,200 people killed in Israel (per Al Jazeera).
He went on to give a politically motivated speech, after which he was seen backstage holding his trophy as well as a note that read, “Ceasefire”.
“The lesson I learn from Rage fans is that music can change the world,” he said in his acceptance speech. “Daily, I hear from fans who have been affected by our music and in turn have affected the world in significant ways. Organizers, activists, public defenders, teachers, the presidents of Chile and Finland have all spent time in our mosh pit.”

He continued: “When protest music is done right, you can hear a new world emerging in the songs, skewering the oppressors of the day and hinting that there might be more to life than what was handed to us. Can music change the world? The whole aim is to change the world or at a bare minimum, to stir up a shit load of trouble.”

Elsewhere, Enter Shikari, The Last Dinner Party and Architects are among a group of musicians who’ve also signed an open letter calling for a ceasefire as the war in Israel and Gaza continues.

Earlier this month Macklemore delivered a speech at a pro-Palestine rally calling the conflict a “genocide”, while Dua Lipa, Killer Mike, Michael Stipe and more wrote an open letter to President Biden, demanding “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost.”

Benefits also shared a powerful statement regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas war as well as Armistice Day last Friday (November 10).

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