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By Rob Harris

Roger Waters is using age-old anti-Semitic stereotype imagery about Jews during his concerts. Left: A pig-shaped balloon featuring the Star of David was released into the sky during a recent concert in Belgium, July 2013. Right: Images of planes dropping bombs in the shape of Jewish Stars of David followed by dollar signs during his 2010-2011 The Wall Live tour.

Former Pink Floyd member, Roger Waters, is at present visiting Ireland for yet another performance of The Wall, his magnum opus, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The concert has been advertised prolifically in recent months due to poor ticket sales. There have been reports that seating tiers at the Aviva Stadium have been closed.

RTE’s 6.1 News, the prime TV news show of Ireland’s public service broadcaster, reported today that Roger Waters is sponsoring a “human rights” educational programme for second-level students, concerning the Middle Eastern Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Waters presented the programme to a Dublin audience, entitled “Palestine and Israel: How will there be a just peace?”. The programme will be orientated towards Transition Year students in Ireland, who would typically be sixteen years of age, an age-bracket in which young adults tend to display an increasing interest in politics.

Famed for the lyric: “we don’t need no education” (Another Brick in the Wall, Part Two), Mr. Waters was asked by an RTE reporter whether his strong rejection of the education system had since changed:

Well you know, we grow older but the message stays the same, by in large.

The message is always keep an open mind, [pause] ah study, [pause] emm get as many facts as you can and then check them and find out if they are facts or not facts. So learn to make up your own mind on the issues.

Try not to be subject to propaganda from one side or another.

All we can do is encourage our young people to approach life with open minds, and emm nurturing the kernel that they all have within their hearts of feelings for their fellow man.

The broadcast did not make any mention of Roger Waters’ prolific criticism of Israel. Some commentators, such as Dominic Lawson, deem Waters’ stance to be highly antagonistic toward Israel, and perhaps, more broadly speaking, toward the Jewish race itself.

Waters’ more recent performances of The Wall have been mired in controversy due to the use of what many deem to be traditionally anti-Semitic motifs, principally a pig embossed with a Star of David. Previously Waters stirred controversy when images of Star of David bombs associated with Dollar signs were used at his concerts.

Waters has denied anti-Semitic intent, insisting he is merely criticising Israeli policies. However, a German-Jewish group has recently gone as far as to call for a boycott.

Waters’ sponsorship of the “Palestine and Israel” programme, and its accompanying text book, may be deemed to be of a controversial nature if they have a bearing on his uncompromising views on Israel. Politicised educational aids, such as those provided by TróCAIRE, have been a source of concern in recent years.

Rob Harris contributes articles to several websites on contentious political issues (not to be confused with the popular English novelist (1957-) of the same name). He blogs at eirael.blogspot.com. He lives in Ireland. For all the exclusive blog entries by Rob Harris, go here.