Bono made this speech at the Ivor Novello Awards in May.
Here's the text:
"I used to introduce this next song by explaining it wasn't a rebel song.
"It was because believing in the possibilities of peace was then and is now a rebellious act and some would say a ridiculous one to believe. Peace was attainable between your country and ours, between our country and itself was a ridiculous idea because peace creates possibilities in the most intractable situations and Lord knows there's a few of them out there right now.
"Hamas release the hostages, stop the war. Israel be released from Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts. All of you protect our aid workers they are the best of us.
"Thank you.
"God you must be so tired of us children of Abraham in the rubble of our certainties children in the rubble of our revenge. God forgive us.
"I'm going to sing this now".
Aside from what he said about the aid workers, which I assume is USAID, his speech was abhorrent.
At the October 18th 2023 U2 Sphere show which I was at, Bono spoke about the October 7th attack in the Pride intro. He gave tribute to the kids who died that terrible morning. But he left out the 1000's of Palestinians who've been murdered by Israel since early 1900. He mentioned the "stars of David", indicating that Israel has claim to not only the land, but also the sky.
I didn't record it. But he said the same thing at this show a week earlier:
He did a similar soliloquy at the February 10 024 Sphere show, which Renee and I were at, even adding a Star of David armband. By then Israel's genocide was in full speed.
According to this piece from Electronic Intifada, Bono and The Edge do business with a bank known for profiting from Israel's violations of international law.
Back to Bono's Ivor Novello Award speech. Bono seems to believe that if Hamas would simply release the hostages, the war would be over - "Hamas release the hostages, stop the war". He's delusional.
Dropsite News reports that Hamas has accepted deals that include releasing all the hostages, but Israel sabotages the deals.
This isn't about the hostages. It never was. It's about Israel taking over Gaza - and the West Bank - and exterminating the Palestinian population.
Caitlin Johnstone
In the same speech Bono seems to believe that Netanyahu is being led by a minority from the far-right, and, ostensibly, Israel's citizens don't back the genocide and extermination - "Israel be released from Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right fundamentalists". Not true.
According to this recent poll by Middle East Eye, 47 percent of Israeli Jews answered yes to the question: "Do you support the claim that the [Israeli army] in conquering an enemy city, should act in a manner similar to the way the Israelites did when they conquered Jericho under the leadership of Joshua, ie to kill all its inhabitants?" The reference is to the biblical account of the conquest of Jericho.
I've seen polling where more than half of Israeli Jews support the genocide and ethnic cleansing happening Gaza. The state of Israel is signatory to the Genova Convention and a member of the United Nations, which specifically declares genocide as a war crime.
Bono is a cheap front man for a band that perhaps once stood for something, but hasn't stood for anything but profits since. He's an establishment goon, a slave to his fortune, and a high ranking member of the International Association of Neoliberals. He's cognitively impaired from sniffing his money and kissing the asses of the elite. He even insults his fans, assuming they lack the intelligence to see through his charade of bemoaning the situation in Gaza.
Bono is MacPhisto. I now sincerely regret buying U2 records, merchandise, and attending their shows. Never again.
tty next time,
