David Draiman, vocalist for multi-platinum alternative metal band Disturbed has long advocated for Israel and Jewish-related causes, however, there were some who felt he took his support too far last month. Amid a trip to Israel, where he visited with victims of the October 07th, 2023 Hamas-led attacks in Israel and toured sites of the conflicts that took place that day, he also spent some time with the Israel Defense Forces.
During his time with them, he was photographed signing an artillery shell with the phrase “Fuck Hamas”. Draiman found himself on the receiving end of both support and condemnation for that action, with his detractors criticizing him for signing a shell that could potentially be used in killing an innocent civilian. He also faced criticism for supporting war in general.
This past Monday, July 01st, saw Emmure frontman Frankie Palmeri voice his admiration for the music of Disturbed, an opinion which ultimately proved controversial to some, given Draiman‘s aforementioned actions. As such, Palmeri faced his own wave of accusations in regards to his own stance on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Some excerpts from those exchanges can be found below:
I fuck with @Disturbed. ????
— Frankie Palmeri (@FrankiePalmeri) July 2, 2024
Genocide denial? ??. You're mental. I love it. Thanks for caring about little old me, pal. Would you also like a ticket to Palestine? Just PM your info. You can go free them or whatever. I'm eating sushi right now. Should I not? Is that making things worse? Just curious.???? https://t.co/XRWjPQX71l
— Frankie Palmeri (@FrankiePalmeri) July 2, 2024
No. Ya see. Here's the thing, I don't care. I'm invested in my own life. I'll focus on making sure that goes well. A war that's been waged since before I was born? Not interested. I have other shit going on. Hope they figure it out. Respectfully, yours. ?? https://t.co/xukeqxP9rp
— Frankie Palmeri (@FrankiePalmeri) July 2, 2024
Oh shit. Is that where my billions went? God damnit. I thought I was buying too much weed. ??????? My bad. https://t.co/Ipmj5EDmFo
— Frankie Palmeri (@FrankiePalmeri) July 2, 2024
No. Ya see. Here's the thing, I don't care. I'm invested in my own life. I'll focus on making sure that goes well. A war that's been waged since before I was born? Not interested. I have other shit going on. Hope they figure it out. Respectfully, yours. ?? https://t.co/xukeqxP9rp
— Frankie Palmeri (@FrankiePalmeri) July 2, 2024
Eventually, the band Heavy//Hitter weighed in on the matter, telling Palmeri:
I mean someone signing a bomb thats gonna kill children definitely ain’t someone I would fuck with. If you don’t really care & like the music, that’s you. But don’t be surprised if people are upset. Lots of blood on IDF hands
— Heavy//Hitter (@heavyhitterfl) July 3, 2024
Palmeri replied back to the band:
People can feel however they want about David Draiman. I don't know him. I know he's got one of the greatest voices to ever touch the heavy music genre. His political and ideological stances? Not my business. I'm not going to stop enjoying the music, so. ?????? https://t.co/j7fFRXPuWb
— Frankie Palmeri (@FrankiePalmeri) July 3, 2024
It was that reply from Palmeri that led Draiman himself to weigh in on the matter, stating:
Appreciated brother
For the record, I am not “pro genocide”, or anything of the sort.
I am pro #peace and #coexistence between ALL PEOPLE.
Always have been, always will be.No one yearns for a LASTING, REAL peace between #Israelis and #Palestinians more than I…
— David Draiman ️✡️☮️ (@davidmdraiman) July 3, 2024
However, that can’t happen with a genocidal death cult (#Hamas), who massacred, tortured, raped, and kidnapped innocents, in charge of governing #Gaza.
War is hell, it is tragic beyond description, but this war, and all bloodshed associated with it, is on Hamas’ hands.
— David Draiman ????????????? (@davidmdraiman) July 3, 2024
For both #Israelis and #Palestinians to have the chance at a real future of coexistence, the cancer known as #Hamas must be eradicated.
If they would just #ReleaseTheHostages, and surrender, this would all be over, but instead they enjoy WILLINGLY sacrificing their own citizens— David Draiman ????????????? (@davidmdraiman) July 3, 2024
…we are not willing to die for the sake of their madness. We aren’t going anywhere. Either of us. That’s a reality that won’t go away, period.
I pray that this horror is over soon. My
Family (2000+ that have lived in Israel since the late 1800’s) are tired of war. We all are.— David Draiman ????????????? (@davidmdraiman) July 3, 2024
