Amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, British rap punk duo Bob Vylan are being investigated by police over chants of “death, death” to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) at the Glastonbury Festival over the weekend. Their visas have been revoked by the US, ahead of their tour in late October, according to CNN.
The US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau informed that the US State Department has “revoked” visas for Bob Vylan members due to their “hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants”. He added that foreigners glorifying “violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”
On Saturday, rapper Bobby Vylan was spotted shouting, “free, free Palestine” and later led crowds to chant against the Israeli military. In viral videos, the rapper could be heard, shouting in the mic, “Alright, but have you heard this one though? Death, death to the IDF.”
Avon and Somerset Police were looking into whether a criminal offence was committed at the event, which was attended by thousands of people. Organizers noted that they were “appalled” by the remark, while the Israeli embassy was “deeply disturbed” over it.
Also read: Charli XCX calls out ‘boomer’ criticism of using autotune for her Glastonbury performance: ‘The most boring take ever’
IDF: What is it?
Founded in 1948, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) refers to the armed forces of Israel, comprising the army, navy, and air force.
After its formation, the IDF roped in soldiers and weapons from several other Jewish paramilitaries, such as the Haganah and Stern Gang. These were involved in Israel’s ‘War of Independence,’ Independent reported.
The war is often termed as ‘Nakba’, which is the Arabic for catastrophe, by Palestinians, since a large number of people were driven from their houses into refugee camps.
Also, part of the IDF were personnel from Britain’s ‘Palestine regiment’ that stood against the Axis powers during World War II.
On its official website, IDF states that all the ground, aerial and naval operations are conducted “first and foremost” for the sake of defending the country and its civilians. It claims to face multiple terrorist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.
Data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies suggests that the IDF includes nearly 169,500 active personnel and 465,000 reservists. The Israeli Navy boasts six submarines, eight missile boats and 38 patrol boats.
In terms of air defence, the IDF has hundreds of aircraft, including a large fleet of F-35 fighter jets.
“Defense is our mission — security is our goal,” IDF states on its website.
FAQs
1. How does Israel’s conscription policy work?
Any Israeli citizen, who is over the age of 18 and is Jewish or Druze must serve in the Israeli military. Men must serve for 32 months, while women are enlisted for 24 months.
2. When was Bob Vylan scheduled to perform in the US?
The group was slated to go on a US tour starting late October.
3. What is Bob Vylan?
It is a band formed in Suffolk in 2017 by Bobbie Vylan.
