Canadian-Israeli philanthropist Sylvan Adams fired back this week at musician Roger Waters after being labeled a "looney Zionist billionaire" in an opinion column by the former Pink Floyd frontman. Adams not only refuted Waters’ accusations against him and the State of Israel but also called out Waters’ decades-long history of antisemitism, saying he would welcome a public debate to uncover the anti-Israel activist’s “appalling and obsessive antisemitism.”
“For the record, Roger, I plead guilty as charged to being a Zionist—or a Jewish patriot—who loves his people, its 3,500-year-old journey, and the blessings of the return of Jewish sovereignty in our indigenous homeland,” Adams said in an open letter addressed to Waters.
Dismantling Waters’ claim that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, Adams said, “In 1948, the population of Gaza was around 60,000. Today, it is over 2 million. That’s not genocide—it’s the opposite. But Roger, your denial of the Holocaust, where the global Jewish population was nearly halved, is true genocide denial. Shame on you.”
Adams accused Waters of being a mouthpiece for a well-funded, decades-long campaign to delegitimize Israel. “The evidence points to regimes like Qatar, Iran, and China bankrolling this massive anti-Israel propaganda effort. Waters is their looney superstar spokesman, parroting their lies to the world. But we see through him, and so does anyone who values truth over propaganda,” Adams said.
Adams’ response comes amid increasing criticism of Waters, whose public statements and behavior have repeatedly been accused of brazenly crossing the line from Israel criticism to outright antisemitism. Waters has compared Israel to Nazi Germany, falsely accused the country of apartheid and genocide, and infamously used antisemitic tropes in his performances, including displaying a pig-shaped balloon adorned with a Star of David.
Adams remarked: “Waters’ obsession with demonizing Israel while ignoring actual atrocities around the world speaks volumes. Where was his outrage when Bashar al-Assad slaughtered half a million Syrians? Or when China’s regime brutalized millions of Uyghur Muslims? His selective outrage is hypocritical and shows he doesn’t care about human rights—he cares about smearing Jews.”
Separately, Adams responded to Waters’ challenge of a public debate and accusations of cowardice. “Roger, the only coward here is the man who hides behind lies and propaganda to avoid an honest discussion. I am making a direct offer to debate you publicly. Let’s see if you have the courage to face facts and stand behind your appalling and obsessive antisemitism,” Adams said in a statement.
In his open letter, Adams also reiterated his call for Waters’ former Pink Floyd bandmates, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, to join him in Israel for a peace concert at the Nova music festival site in Re’im, the location of the October 7 Hamas massacre. “A peace concert would send a message of unity, healing, and hope to a world that desperately needs it. And let’s be clear, it would also expose Waters for the fraud he is.”