In 2024, Dave Matthews showed up for the Free Palestine movement and protested Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to US Congress, saying in an interview, "It's a disgusting show of support for someone who doesn't deserve our support. I'm ashamed that my tax dollars are going to the brutalizing of an entire people." On Friday (June 5), he performed in Raleigh and gave a speech clarifying his views.
In his speech at the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Matthews emphasized that his beliefs "should by no means be twisted into anyone thinking that I am bigoted or antisemitic in any way at all." "I will never stop calling for an end to the violence in Gaza and the West Bank and Lebanon and for that matter, the Congo, and Sudan, and Ukraine," he said. "Or the horrific violence against immigrants and their neighbors in our country. I am opposed to violence from any government to any people and against children most of all."
Below read the full speech and watch the video.
It's no secret — at least I don't try to make it a secret — that I disagree with the policies of Israel and the United States in our treatment of the civilian population in Gaza and the West Bank. That should by no means be twisted into anyone thinking that I am bigoted or antisemitic in any way at all. On the contrary, I have a deep respect and love — for all my life that I can remember — and admiration for the culture and history of the Jewish people. I don't think any group of people have contributed more to the advancement and evolution of our understanding of each other and of the world around us and the universe. I mean, if we think of Albert Einstein or if we think of the music of George Gershwin or we think of the philosopher Hannah Arendt or Howard Zinn or, of course, the most famous child in the world, Anne Frank. And so many more. I have to say so many of my closest, dearest friends. I hold the Jewish people in the highest regard and it breaks my heart that my opinions borne out of deep commitment to nonviolent resolution and resistance can be twisted into serve any hateful, racist, or bigoted ideas. It breaks my heart and I am so sorry for any misunderstanding or pain I might've caused but my intention is to help bring an end to the seemingly endless violence in the world. I wanted to just mention — I'm not sure if I should but I'm going to. On October 7th two and a half years ago, I was attending my dearest friend's son's bar mitzvah. It was a beautiful day of witnessing and respect and love for this young man. And it was interrupted by the horror and the violence on the other side of the world. An ongoing horror. But the violence borne out of that day against the Palestinian people is no less horrific and multiplies the death and the suffering over and over and over. I will never stop calling for an end to the violence in Gaza and the West Bank and Lebanon and for that matter, the Congo, and Sudan, and Ukraine. Or the horrific violence against immigrants and their neighbors in our country. I am opposed to violence from any government to any people and against children most of all. Because all children are our children. Every one. But my deepest fear is that we are becoming numb to it. Let's not do that. Let's work as long as we can to make a better world for our children.
