More than 400 artists and music labels, including Massive Attack, Kneecap, Primal Scream, and Rina Sawayama, have united to remove their music from streaming platforms in the occupied Palestinian territories, in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The initiative, known as “No Music For Genocide,” urges artists to geo-block or fully remove their work from Israeli-controlled areas, framing the cultural boycott as a tangible act of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Organizers stress that this is only the beginning of a larger global movement to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for crimes against humanity.

Among the participants are internationally acclaimed artists such as Fontaines D.C., MIKE, Faye Webster, King Krule, Japanese Breakfast, and Arca, alongside record labels including Bayonet Records and PAN. Campaign organizers are also pressuring major music distributors—Sony, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music—to follow suit, noting that these companies restricted their catalogs in Russia following the outbreak of war there.

“Culture can’t stop bombs on its own, but it can help reject political repression, shift public opinion toward justice, and refuse the art-washing and normalization of any company or nation that commits crimes against humanity,” the coalition said.

Building on Historical and Recent Solidarity Efforts

The campaign draws on precedents of cultural boycotts, such as those against apartheid South Africa. It also highlights contemporary acts of solidarity with Palestine, including the Film Workers for Palestine pledge, Spain’s ban on Palestine-bound ships and planes, and Moroccan dockworkers refusing to load weapons destined for Tel Aviv.

Organizers emphasized that the boycott represents a “tangible act” in advancing Palestinian demands to isolate and delegitimize Israeli policies.

“The more of us there are, the stronger we will be,” the statement read.

UN Finds Israel Guilty of Genocide

The cultural boycott follows a damning UN inquiry concluding that the Israeli occupation has committed genocide in Palestine. In a 72-page report released Tuesday, the UN Human Rights Council’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry found that Israel carried out four genocidal acts since October 7, 2023. These acts include mass killings, inflicting severe bodily and mental harm, deliberately creating conditions of life aimed at destroying Palestinians “in whole or in part,” and measures intended to prevent births.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that nearly 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the genocide, the majority of whom were women and children. Israel dismissed the UN findings as “false and distorted.”

#GameOverIsrael Campaign in Sports

In parallel, advocacy organizations and fan groups have launched a #GameOverIsrael campaign targeting European soccer federations. A billboard went live on Tuesday in New York’s Times Square, months ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico.

The campaign urges soccer federations in Belgium, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Scotland, and Spain to boycott the Israeli team and prevent Israeli players from participating in domestic competitions, citing the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

“As the United States prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Americans must not allow our stadiums to become platforms for whitewashing war crimes,” said Abed Ayoub, National Executive Director of the Anti-Discrimination Committee, which launched the initiative alongside several European partners.

The coordinated efforts in music and sports reflect a growing global solidarity movement with the Palestinian people, demanding accountability from the Israeli occupation for its ongoing crimes and highlighting the power of culture and sport in the fight against injustice. (ILKHA)