The world-renowned electronic music festival Tomorrowland became a flashpoint for geopolitical conflict when the scheduled performance of veteran Israeli psytrance artist DJ Skazi was canceled hours before he was set to take the stage. The official reason given was “security considerations,” but subsequent statements from the artist and the context surrounding the event suggest a more complex story rooted in political pressure and targeted activism. 1
- Cancellation Context: DJ Skazi's Tomorrowland performance was canceled due to stated "security concerns," but the situation was influenced by political activism and pressure related to his perceived association with the Israeli military and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- Activist Campaigns: Activist groups employed both public pressure campaigns and legal actions, leveraging Belgium's laws, to protest Skazi's performance and scrutinize Israeli attendees, creating a tense and politically charged environment at the festival.
- Politicization of Culture: The incident demonstrates the increasing difficulty for global events like Tomorrowland to remain apolitical, as conflicting narratives and activism surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict made the festival a stage for geopolitical tensions.
The “Combat DJ” vs. The Messenger of Unity
At the center of the controversy is the artist himself, Asher Swissa, known as DJ Skazi. For years, Swissa has cultivated a public message of peace and unity through music. However, following the October 7, 2023 attacks, he also adopted a more nationalist persona.
Belgian and Israeli media reported that Swissa refers to himself as a “combat DJ”. He performed for Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers near the Gaza border and made political statements on stage. At Tomorrowland in 2024, he dedicated his set to the state of Israel and its soldiers. Activists also alleged he contributed music to an IDF propaganda video with inflammatory lyrics, a claim that intensified the campaign against him.
Before the cancellation, Swissa attempted to counter this narrative, stating his mission was to “bring unity” and that festivals should be a place for connection, not division. 2
A Two-Front Activist Campaign
The cancellation was the result of a coordinated campaign by activist groups in Belgium.
- Public Pressure: The NGO 11.11.11 led a public campaign, arguing that giving a platform to an artist they described as promoting “military propaganda” was a violation of Tomorrowland’s values. A spokesperson stated, “Giving a platform to explicit military propaganda – especially in the context of genocide – isn’t neutrality; it’s taking a stand”.
- Legal Action: In parallel, the Hind Rajab Foundation and the Global Legal Action Network leveraged Belgium’s universal jurisdiction laws to file a complaint against Israeli festival-goers. The complaint alleged that a group of young Israelis had committed war crimes in Gaza and were seen waving the purple-and-white flag of the Givati Brigade during a set by another Israeli act, Vini Vici. This led to Belgian federal police briefly detaining and questioning two Israeli men before they were released. The action drew concern from the European Jewish Association, which stated the soldiers were “carrying out their lawful duties.” While not targeting Skazi directly, these detentions created a tense legal environment at the festival. 3
Conflicting Narratives of a Cancellation
Tomorrowland’s response to the growing pressure evolved over several days. Initially, the festival investigated the claims against Skazi and concluded he had not violated any rules. As the controversy grew, organizers negotiated restrictions with the artist, who reportedly agreed to perform without an Israeli flag or a microphone.
On July 26, 2025, Skazi announced the cancellation on his Instagram, citing “security considerations” and a “deep commitment to spreading only love and music”. Tomorrowland’s official statement respected the artist’s decision, emphasizing their commitment to a “safe and respectful environment”.
However, upon his return to Israel, Swissa’s story changed. He told reporters the cancellation was due to “intense pressure from a pro-Palestinian organization” that was “very intensive and threatening”. He directly linked the pressure to the detention of the Israeli festival-goers, stating, “if they managed to get soldiers arrested, it was nothing for them to stop me”.
Online Reactions Show Deep Divide
The debate spilled into online forums, where public opinion was sharply divided. On a Belgian-focused Reddit thread, the sentiment was highly critical of the artist and the festival’s initial stance. One user commented, “‘A ‘combat DJ’ shouldn’t be given a platform during a genocide. Arrest them, interrogate them, and check their phone. All Israelis entering our country should be checked for (war) crimes'”. 4
Another user on the same thread, while critical of Israel’s actions, questioned the legal maneuvers that created the tense atmosphere, stating, “Even though I absolutely hate Israel & their actions, I do find it absurd that an ‘ex’ Hamas fighter in our country can cause Israeli festival-goers to be questioned, etc.”. These comments highlight the fractured and intense nature of the public discourse surrounding the event.
The Politicization of the Dance Floor
The incident at Tomorrowland highlights the increasing difficulty for global cultural events to remain apolitical. The festival’s brand of “unity” was challenged by activists who successfully framed the booking as a political act. The term “security concerns” served as a convenient public reason, but it masked a complex reality of political pressure, legal threats, and a clash of irreconcilable narratives.
The controversy also unfolded in the shadow of the October 7 attack on the Supernova music festival in Israel, an event that has deeply traumatized the electronic music community and politicized a space once seen as a haven of escapism. For many Israelis, Skazi’s assertive stance is an act of defiance, and his cancellation is seen as part of a pattern of exclusion. For pro-Palestinian activists, his removal was a necessary stand against the normalization of violence. Ultimately, Tomorrowland became the stage where these opposing worldviews collided, proving that in a polarized world, even the dance floor can become a battlefield.
- https://www.timesofisrael.com/set-by-israeli-dj-at-belgian-music-festival-nixed-over-security-considerations/ ↩︎
- https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-862249 ↩︎
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89ezz91g11o ↩︎
- https://www.reddit.com/r/belgium/comments/1m8rvma/dj_skazi_zorgt_voor_felle_discussie_op/?tl=en ↩︎
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There should be no room in the Rave / EDM scene for supporters of the Fascist regime now controling Israel and responsible for the acts of genocide committed by the IDF and others in Gaza . So I totally agree with the decision to cancel Skazi’s performance , Israel should be treated like South Africa in the apartheid period , banned from international sport and cultural events and labled a pariah state . Well done to those who put pressure on the organisers of Tomorrowland and to the organisers for listening and acting.