U2‘s Bono has spoken out in opposition to Hamas, Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli “far-right fundamentalists” on the 2025 Ivor Novello Awards – see what he needed to say beneath.
Yesterday (Could 22), U2 turned the primary Irish act to obtain Fellowship Of The Ivors Academy, the best honour that the organisation bestows. The ceremony came about on the Grosvenor Home in London and celebrated its seventieth yr, the place it noticed 22 songwriters and composers accumulating awards over 14 classes, with over 70 per cent of winners being first-timers.
On the ceremony, U2 took to the Ivors stage to just accept the honour, with all 4 members ship speeches of their very own. The final man on the rostrum was frontman Bono, who used his time to name for peace within the Gaza-Israel battle. Bono stated: “I used to introduce this subsequent track by saying it was not a insurgent track. It was as a result of believing within the potentialities of peace was then, and is now, a rebellious act; and a few would say a ridiculous one.”
“To imagine peace was attainable between your nation and ours, between our nation and itself was a ridiculous thought as a result of peace creates potentialities in essentially the most intractable conditions and lord is aware of there’s a number of of them on the market proper now,” he stated, earlier than including: “Hamas, launch the hostages, cease the struggle. Israel, be launched from Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts.”
“All of you, defend our assist staff – they’re one of the best of us. God, you have to be so uninterested in us, youngsters of Abraham, within the rubble of our certainties. Youngsters within the rubble of our revenge. God forgive us.”
Following the speech, U2 carried out an acoustic rendition of ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, their iconic 1983 observe in regards to the 1972 bloodbath by which the British military shot at unarmed protestors, killing 14 individuals – the best variety of individuals killed in a capturing throughout the Troubles in Northern Eire. Apart from expressing themes of loss and struggling by struggle and violence, the track can be a beacon of hope as U2 sing of the significance of unity and peace.
After the tragic and notorious October 2023 assault on the Israeli music pageant Supernova that introduced the Gaza-Israel struggle to mainstream consideration, Bono paid tribute to the victims whereas performing with U2 in Las Vegas. Bono devoted his hit 2003 track ‘Satisfaction (Within the Title of Love)’ to the victims, and shared his hopes for a non-violent resolution to the battle.
Bono’s altering of the lyrics to honour the victims sparked specific backlash from Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, who described Bono as “disgusting” and “a shit” for having a historical past of “sticking up for the Zionist entity”.
Earlier this yr, Bono shared his ideas on what’s one of the best ways to realize freedom “in each a part of the world the place well being and humanity are in danger” in op-ed for The Atlantic, which he wrote forward of receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom within the US.
He has but to publicly by his help behind Israel or Palestine. Resulting from his method, Bono has been branded a “grasp” of putting balanced opinions by Sharon Osbourne, who earlier this month recommended that Kneecap comply with in U2’s footsteps after Kneecap known as for Palestine’s freedom at Coachella in April and later turned the topic of consideration from counter-terror police within the UK.
Osbourne stated: “They need to comply with the masters, who’re U2. Bono goes on, he talks about Palestine. He does it in peace. He’s pro-Palestine, that’s his opinion Bono, god bless him, however he does it in such a approach that it doesn’t incite violence from a crowd.”
Earlier this month, Bono up to date followers on U2’s upcoming as-yet-titled studio album, confirming that the band has been recording, “and it feels like future to me. We needed to undergo some stuff, and we’re on the different finish of it.”
