The growing feud between Disturbed frontman David Draiman and Irish rap trio Kneecap has escalated sharply, with the group calling out Draiman for signing an Israeli artillery shell — a gesture they condemned as a symbol of violence against innocent civilians. Draiman, never one to stay silent, fired back with a heated defense of his actions and a harsh critique of Kneecap‘s politics.
The latest clash follows Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello’s recent praise of Kneecap, hailing them as “the Rage Against The Machine of now” for their outspoken political views, particularly their support for Palestine amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. Draiman responded by accusing Morello of glorifying a group that, in his view, ignores the threat of terrorism and indulges in antisemitic rhetoric.
On July 13, Kneecap entered the fray directly, taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) with a blunt message aimed squarely at Draiman:
“We don’t care what religion anyone is… or if they’ve one at all.
We love all sound c*nts.
Smiling and signing bombs dropped to m**der kids and other people’s families just makes you a straight up c*nt.
Simple as.
Free Palestine.”
Draiman wasted no time responding, issuing a multi-post rebuttal that defended the controversial photo of him signing the shell — a moment captured during a visit to Israel in late 2023. He insisted the gesture was directed at Hamas, not civilians:
“Here’s the thing, and I’ll speak to you in small words, so you understand.
That shell was meant for HAMAS. You know, the organization who has sworn to m**der all Jews, not just Israelis, time and time again, including my family.
You shoot at Jews? Expect Jews to shoot back.
All innocent lives lost in this conflict are due to Hamas using their own people as cannon fodder so that they can gain the sympathy of those who are only too eager to jump on the Jew hating train. If the hostages were released and Hamas surrendered, the bloodshed would end…
But neither you, nor Hamas really want that. Because without dead martyred Palestinians to fuel your zeitgeist, both you and them lose power.
Enjoy your 5 minutes gentlemen. It could have been done with your art, but instead you chose to do it with hatred. Bye now”
Writer and extreme metal devotee, Ialdagorth has spent over a decade covering the darkest corners of heavy music. A black metal lifer, he spends his free time wandering the Carpathian Mountains, likely humming blast beats to the trees.
