U2 frontman Bono compared comments made by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir about residents of Gaza to the rhetoric of Heinrich Himmler, one of the leaders of the Nazi regime and one of the architects of the Holocaust.
In an extensive interview with Rolling Stone magazine, marking the band’s 50th anniversary celebrations and ahead of the release of its new album, the Irish musician criticized the minister and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he claimed was keeping Ben-Gvir in the government in order to preserve his coalition majority.
During the interview, conducted by journalist Brian Hiatt, Bono addressed comments Ben-Gvir made about Gaza residents in a conversation with former hostage survivor Rom Braslavski: “There are people there who are not worthy of life. They do not need to live, they are not people either.” Bono compared the rhetoric used by the minister to that of Himmler.
Bono stressed that he continues to support Israel while also supporting the Palestinians’ right to their own state. He addressed the international dispute over whether genocide is taking place in Gaza, saying that the term is a legal one that will ultimately be determined by international courts. However, he expressed bewilderment over the fact that Ben-Gvir continues to serve as a minister in the government.
Later in the interview, Bono spoke about the profound influence Jewish creators and artists have had on his life, worldview, and music. He accused Ben-Gvir of damaging the image of Judaism through his remarks and described the situation as scandalous.
According to Bono, Israel must address the injustices of the Nakba through a political compromise, even if there are parties unwilling to accept it. He added that justice is a fundamental value in Judaism.
Ben-Gvir calls for Gazans to emigrate to Ireland
Ben-Gvir reacted to Bono's interview with an AI music video posted on X/Twitter, labeling it "Gaza to Ireland."
In the video, Gazan children sing to Bono to help them emigrate to Ireland, and tell him to "listen to Ben-Gvir."
The video claims that over 1.5m. people in Gaza want to "start over in a Third state," and tells Bono "don't preach."
The comments were made against the backdrop of the creation of the song “The Tears of Things,” in which Bono explores Jewish history and the war in Gaza, using the biblical figure of David and Michelangelo’s statue of David.
The song represents an attempt to understand the conflict through the lens of Jewish history. Bono again condemned Hamas’s October 7 attack during the interview. This is not the first time the singer has criticized the Israeli government. In May 2025, during the Ivor Novello Awards ceremony in London, he called on Israel to move away from Netanyahu and far-right elements, while also demanding that Hamas release the hostages and end the war.
Tzvi Jasper contributed to this report.